Game Channels in Messaging Applications

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, in a group conversation in a message thread on a messaging application, a request to access a game from inside the message thread from one or more users of a group of users associated with the message thread; generating an anonymized context identifier (ID) for the message thread; providing the context ID to a game bot associated with the game, the game bot being a software agent configured to act automatically on behalf of the game, the context ID being used by the game bot to interact with the group of users associated with the message thread; and sending, by the game bot using the context ID, instructions for presenting a game window within the message thread on one or more instances of messaging applications running on one or more client systems associated with the one or more users of the group.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/783,936, filed 13 Oct. 2017, which claims thebenefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/486,324, filed 17 Apr. 2017, which is incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to online games and enhancing theonline gameplay experience within an online communications environment,such as those for online messaging or social-networking systems.

BACKGROUND

A social-networking system, which may include a social-networkingwebsite, may enable its users (such as persons or organizations) tointeract with it and with each other through it. The social-networkingsystem may, with input from a user, create and store in thesocial-networking system a user profile associated with the user. Theuser profile may include demographic information, communication-channelinformation, and information on personal interests of the user. Thesocial-networking system may also, with input from a user, create andstore a record of relationships of the user with other users of thesocial-networking system, as well as provide services (e.g. wall posts,photo-sharing, event organization, messaging, games, or advertisements)to facilitate social interaction between or among users.

The social-networking system may send over one or more networks contentor messages related to its services to a mobile or other computingdevice of a user. A user may also install software applications on amobile or other computing device of the user for accessing a userprofile of the user and other data within the social-networking system.The social-networking system may generate a personalized set of contentobjects to display to a user, such as a newsfeed of aggregated storiesof other users connected to the user.

Social-graph analysis views social relationships in terms of networktheory consisting of nodes and edges. Nodes represent the individualactors within the networks, and edges represent the relationshipsbetween the actors. The resulting graph-based structures are often verycomplex. There can be many types of nodes and many types of edges forconnecting nodes. In its simplest form, a social graph is a map of allof the relevant edges between all the nodes being studied.

Online games are now played on various types of computing devices. Anonline game is a game that is either partially or primarily played byone or more users who communicate through the Internet or other datacommunication protocols. Conventional online game sessions are hosted ormanaged by a game server, which is typically one or more dedicatedcomputers managed by the game publisher or other company. Userstypically initiate online game sessions by directly accessing a web pageof a third-part game server. Alternatively, applications or consolegames may communicate with a server to exchange score information, gameupdates, etc.

Over the last several years, a messaging network/system (separate entityor part of a social-networking system) has become a useful way toconnect with acquaintances or businesses, e.g., to communicate. Themessaging system may have a messaging application that users can accessthrough their client systems. The messaging application may enable twoor more users to communicate with each other, e.g., by exchangingmessages. The messaging application has a tremendous opportunity toengage user(s) in online games and to enhance their gameplay experience.

SUMMARY OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

In particular embodiments, a messaging system (independently or incooperation with a social-networking system) may provide a dedicatedgames-tab element on a messaging application for the discovery of games.A user may be able to access the messaging application through a clientsystem connected to a network. On interacting with the games-tabelement, a games tab may be shown comprising a dynamic list of gamesthat is constantly updated as the user interacts with one or more gamesin the list. The games tab can initially provide a simple list of games(e.g., for first time users), but can be iteratively transformed into amore customized list that includes both games recently interacted withby the user and game data for each of these games (including, forexample, message threads, total players playing the game, friendsplaying the game, last moves, current scores, challenges, recentmessages from other players/bots, etc.).

In particular embodiments, the messaging system (independently or incooperation with the social-networking system) may enable gamedevelopers to establish a direct relationship between players and gamesinside message threads on the messaging application with the help ofprogrammable game channels (also interchangeably referred to herein asgame bots). The messaging system may enable the use of these game botsin the messaging application by providing an application programminginterface (API) to the game developers. A game developer may use the APIto design a game bot that may automatically send one or more messagesand/or updates to a user/player based on his interactions with the game.As an example and not by way of limitation, the game bot may send awelcome message when a user plays his first game, options to challengefriends, announcements of new releases and/or game features, etc.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system (independently or incooperation with the social networking system) may provide gameplaythreads that allow users to take in-game actions from within theirmessage threads. Using a gameplay message thread, a user may be able toplay a game with other users and see game status information from withinthe message thread without having to go to the game directly and leavinghis messaging application. The messaging system may allow a gamedeveloper to send customized messages in a message thread. A customizedmessage may include customizable text and button(s), user photo, aninteractive screenshot of the game, etc. The screenshot in thecustomized message is interactive meaning that when a user interactswith the screenshot, a short video preview of the other user's gameplaycould be shown, and then a message allowing a follow-up action could besent to the user. Also, the text/button associated with the screenshotmay be customized (e.g., button “Play” may be customized to say“Challenge” or “Join the game”, etc.).

The embodiments disclosed herein are only examples, and the scope ofthis disclosure is not limited to them. Particular embodiments mayinclude all, some, or none of the components, elements, features,functions, operations, or steps of the embodiments disclosed above.Embodiments according to the invention are in particular disclosed inthe attached claims directed to a method, a storage medium, a system anda computer program product, wherein any feature mentioned in one claimcategory, e.g. method, can be claimed in another claim category, e.g.system, as well. The dependencies or references back in the attachedclaims are chosen for formal reasons only. However any subject matterresulting from a deliberate reference back to any previous claims (inparticular multiple dependencies) can be claimed as well, so that anycombination of claims and the features thereof are disclosed and can beclaimed regardless of the dependencies chosen in the attached claims.The subject-matter which can be claimed comprises not only thecombinations of features as set out in the attached claims but also anyother combination of features in the claims, wherein each featurementioned in the claims can be combined with any other feature orcombination of other features in the claims. Furthermore, any of theembodiments and features described or depicted herein can be claimed ina separate claim and/or in any combination with any embodiment orfeature described or depicted herein or with any of the features of theattached claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment associated with amessaging system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment in which aclient system, a messaging system, and a game-managing system mayinteract with each other.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are example interaction/flow diagrams illustratingexample interactions between a client system, a messaging system, and agame-managing system.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example social graph.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example gamer graph.

FIG. 6A is a graphical user interface showing an example games-tabelement on a messaging application. FIG. 6B is a graphical userinterface showing an updated games tab containing a refreshed list ofgames once a user interacted with one or more games.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example method for presenting a games tab ona messaging application associated with a messaging system.

FIG. 8A is a graphical user interface showing an example welcome pagewhen a user requests a first time access to a game. FIG. 8B is agraphical user interface showing an example message thread containingmessages that may be sent by a game bot. FIG. 8C is a graphical userinterface showing the same message thread with some additional messagessent by the game bot.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an example method for initiating acommunication between a user and a game inside a message thread on amessaging application with the help of programmable game channels (orgame bots).

FIGS. 10A-10C are graphical user interfaces showing a live gameplaysession between two users from inside a message thread on a messagingapplication.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are graphical user interfaces showing examplecustomized messages that may be sent by a game bot in a message threadfor a game.

FIG. 12 is a graphical user interface showing example customizedmessages that may be shared between two users in a message thread.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method for initiating a live gamesession between two users from within a message thread on a messagingapplication.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example computer system.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS System Overview

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment 100 associated with amessaging system. Network environment 100 includes a client system 130,a social-networking system 160, a third-party system 170, a messagingsystem 180, and a game-managing system 190 connected to each other by anetwork 110. Although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular arrangement of aclient system 130, a social-networking system 160, a third-party system170, a messaging system 180, a game-managing system 190, and a network110, this disclosure contemplates any suitable arrangement of a clientsystem 130, a social-networking system 160, a third-party system 170, amessaging system 180, a game-managing system 190, and a network 110. Asan example and not by way of limitation, two or more of a client system130, a social-networking system 160, a third-party system 170, amessaging system 180, and a game-managing system 190 may be connected toeach other directly, bypassing a network 110. As another example, two ormore of a client system 130, a social-networking system 160, athird-party system 170, a messaging system 180, and a game-managingsystem 190 may be physically or logically co-located with each other inwhole or in part. Moreover, although FIG. 1 illustrates a particularnumber of client systems 130, social-networking systems 160, third-partysystems 170, messaging systems 180, game-managing systems 190, andnetworks 110, this disclosure contemplates any suitable number of clientsystems 130, social-networking systems 160, third-party systems 170,messaging systems 180, game-managing systems 190, and networks 110. Asan example and not by way of limitation, network environment 100 mayinclude multiple client systems 130, social-networking systems 160,third-party systems 170, messaging systems 180, game-managing systems190, and networks 110.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable network 110. As an example andnot by way of limitation, one or more portions of a network 110 mayinclude an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public SwitchedTelephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, or a combinationof two or more of these. A network 110 may include one or more networks110.

Links 150 may connect a client system 130, a social-networking system160, a third-party system 170, a messaging system 180, and agame-managing system 190 to a communication network 110 or to eachother. This disclosure contemplates any suitable links 150. Inparticular embodiments, one or more links 150 include one or morewireline (such as for example Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or Data OverCable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as forexample Wi-Fi or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX)), or optical (such as for example Synchronous Optical Network(SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) links. In particularembodiments, one or more links 150 each include an ad hoc network, anintranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, aportion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a cellulartechnology-based network, a satellite communications technology-basednetwork, another link 150, or a combination of two or more such links150. Links 150 need not necessarily be the same throughout a networkenvironment 100. One or more first links 150 may differ in one or morerespects from one or more second links 150.

In particular embodiments, a client system 130 may be an electronicdevice including hardware, software, or embedded logic components or acombination of two or more such components and capable of carrying outthe appropriate functionalities implemented or supported by a clientsystem 130. As an example and not by way of limitation, a client system130 may include a computer system such as a desktop computer, notebookor laptop computer, netbook, a tablet computer, e-book reader, GPSdevice, camera, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld electronicdevice, cellular telephone, smartphone, other suitable electronicdevice, or any suitable combination thereof. This disclosurecontemplates any suitable client systems 130. A client system 130 mayenable a network user at a client system 130 to access a network 110. Aclient system 130 may enable its user to communicate with other users atother client systems 130.

In particular embodiments, a client system 130 may include a clientapplication 132, which may be a web browser, such as MICROSOFT INTERNETEXPLORER, GOOGLE CHROME or MOZILLA FIREFOX, and may have one or moreadd-ons, plug-ins, or other extensions, such as TOOLBAR or YAHOOTOOLBAR. A user at a client system 130 may enter a Uniform ResourceLocator (URL) or other address directing a web browser to a particularserver (such as social network server 162, message server 182, gameserver 192, or a server associated with a third-party system 170), andthe web browser may generate a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)request and communicate the HTTP request to server. The server mayaccept the HTTP request and communicate to a client system 130 one ormore Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) files responsive to the HTTPrequest. The client system 130 may render a web interface (e.g. awebpage) based on the HTML files from the server for presentation to theuser. This disclosure contemplates any suitable source files. As anexample and not by way of limitation, a web interface may be renderedfrom HTML files, Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language (XHTML) files, orExtensible Markup Language (XML) files, according to particular needs.Such interfaces may also execute scripts such as, for example andwithout limitation, those written in JAVASCRIPT, JAVA, MICROSOFTSILVERLIGHT, combinations of markup language and scripts such as AJAX(Asynchronous JAVASCRIPT and XML), and the like. Herein, reference to aweb interface encompasses one or more corresponding source files (whicha browser may use to render the web interface) and vice versa, whereappropriate.

In particular embodiments, the client application 132 may be anapplication operable to provide various computing functionalities,services, and/or resources, and to send data to and receive data fromthe other entities of the network 110, such as the social-networkingsystem 160, the third-party system 170, the messaging system 180, and/orthe game-managing system 190. For example, the client application 132may be a social-networking application, a messaging application formessaging with users of a messaging network/system, a gamingapplication, an internet searching application, etc.

In particular embodiments, the client application 132 may be storable ina memory and executable by a processor of the client system 130 torender user interfaces, receive user input, send data to and receivedata from one or more of the social-networking system 160, thethird-party system 170, the messaging system 180, and the game-managingsystem 190. The client application 132 may generate and present userinterfaces to a user via a display of the client system 130. Forexample, the client application 132 may generate and present userinterfaces, as depicted in at least FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A-8C, 10A-10C, 11A,11B, and 12, based at least in part on information received from themessaging system 180 via the network 110.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may be anetwork-addressable computing system that can host an online socialnetwork. The social-networking system 160 may generate, store, receive,and send social-networking data, such as, for example, user-profiledata, concept-profile data, social-graph information, or other suitabledata related to the online social network. The social-networking system160 may be accessed by the other components of network environment 100either directly or via a network 110. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a client system 130 may access the social-networking system160 using the client application 132, which may be a web browser or anative application associated with the social-networking system 160(e.g., a mobile social-networking application, another suitableapplication, or any combination thereof) either directly or via anetwork 110.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may includea social network server 162. The social network server 162 may be acomputing device for managing the online social network hosted on thesocial-networking system 160. The server 162 may be a unitary server ora distributed server spanning multiple computers or multipledatacenters. In particular embodiments, the social network server 162may include hardware, software, or embedded logic components or acombination of two or more such components for carrying out theappropriate functionalities implemented or supported by server 162.Although a single social network server 162 is shown, it should be notedthat this is not by any way limiting and this disclosure contemplatesany number of social network servers 162.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may includea data store 164. The data store 164 may be used to store various typesof information. In particular embodiments, the information stored in thedata store 164 may be organized according to specific data structures.In particular embodiments, the data store 164 may be a relational,columnar, correlation, or other suitable database. Although thisdisclosure describes or illustrates particular types of databases, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable types of databases. Particularembodiments may provide interfaces that enable a client system 130, asocial-networking system 160, a third-party system 170, a messagingsystem 180, or a game-managing system 190 to manage, retrieve, modify,add, or delete, the information stored in the data store 164.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may store asocial graph 166 in the data store 164. In particular embodiments, asocial graph 166 may include multiple nodes—which may include multipleuser nodes (each corresponding to a particular user) or multiple conceptnodes (each corresponding to a particular concept)—and multiple edgesconnecting the nodes. The social-networking system 160 may provide usersof the online social network the ability to communicate and interactwith other users. In particular embodiments, users may join the onlinesocial network via the social-networking system 160 and then addconnections (e.g., relationships) to a number of other users of thesocial-networking system 160 whom they want to be connected to. Herein,the term “friend” may refer to any other user of the social-networkingsystem 160 with whom a user has formed a connection, association, orrelationship via the social-networking system 160. The social graph 166is discussed in further detail below in reference to at least FIG. 4.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may provideusers with the ability to take actions on various types of items orobjects, supported by the social-networking system 160. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, the items and objects may include groupsor social networks to which users of the social-networking system 160may belong, events or calendar entries in which a user might beinterested, computer-based applications that a user may use,transactions that allow users to buy or sell items via the service,interactions with advertisements that a user may perform, or othersuitable items or objects. A user may interact with anything that iscapable of being represented in the social-networking system 160 or byan external system of a third-party system 170, which is separate fromthe social-networking system 160 and coupled to the social-networkingsystem 160 via a network 110.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may becapable of linking a variety of entities. As an example and not by wayof limitation, the social-networking system 160 may enable users tointeract with each other as well as receive content from the third-partysystem 170, the messaging system 180, or the game-managing system 190,or to allow users to interact with these entities through an applicationprogramming interface (API) or other communication channels. Asdepicted, the social-networking system 160 may include a plurality ofapplication programming interfaces (APIs) 168 a through 168 n(individually and/or collectively herein referred to as 168). An API isset of routines, protocols, and tools by which the social-networkingsystem 160 may be able to communicate with one or more other entities ofthe network environment 100. In some embodiments, an API may be definedfor each application associated with the social-networking system 160.For example, API 168 a may be a social-networking application API, 168 bmay be a social-graph API, 168 c may be an advertising API, so on and soforth. In some embodiments, an API may be defined by one or moredevelopers associated with the social-networking system 160. In someembodiments, an API of the social-networking system 160 may be sent toone or more other entities of the network environment 100 (e.g., via anAPI handler 202) that may enable them to add one or more additionalfeatures to the existing API of the social network system 160.

In particular embodiments, a third-party system 170 may include one ormore types of servers, one or more data stores, one or more interfaces,including but not limited to APIs, one or more web services, one or morecontent sources, one or more networks, or any other suitable components,e.g., that servers may communicate with. A third-party system 170 may beoperated by a different entity from an entity operating thesocial-networking system 160, the messaging system 180, or thegame-managing system 190. In particular embodiments, one or more of thesocial-networking system 160, the messaging system 180, or thegame-managing system 190, and the third-party system 170 may operate inconjunction with each other to provide various services/functionalitiesto users. For example, the social-networking system 160 and thethird-party system 170 may operate in conjunction with each other toprovide social-networking services to users of the social-networkingsystem 160 or third-party systems 170. In this sense, thesocial-networking system 160 may provide a platform, or backbone, whichother systems, such as third-party systems 170, may use to providesocial-networking services and functionality to users across theInternet.

In particular embodiments, a third-party system 170 may include athird-party content object provider. A third-party content objectprovider may include one or more sources of content objects, which maybe communicated to a client system 130. As an example and not by way oflimitation, content objects may include information regarding things oractivities of interest to the user, such as, for example, movie showtimes, movie reviews, restaurant reviews, restaurant menus, productinformation and reviews, or other suitable information. As anotherexample and not by way of limitation, content objects may includeincentive content objects, such as coupons, discount tickets, giftcertificates, or other suitable incentive objects.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 alsoincludes user-generated content objects, which may enhance a user'sinteractions with the social-networking system 160. User-generatedcontent may include anything a user can add, upload, send, or “post” tothe social-networking system 160. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a user communicates posts to the social-networking system160 from a client system 130. Posts may include data such as statusupdates or other textual data, location information, photos, videos,links, music or other similar data or media. Content may also be addedto the social-networking system 160 by a third-party through a“communication channel,” such as a newsfeed or stream.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may includea variety of servers, sub-systems, programs, modules, logs, and datastores. In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 mayinclude one or more of the following: a web server, action logger,API-request server, relevance-and-ranking engine, content-objectclassifier, notification controller, action log,third-party-content-object-exposure log, inference module,authorization/privacy server, search module, advertisement-targetingmodule, user-interface module, user-profile store, connection store,third-party content store, or location store. The social-networkingsystem 160 may also include suitable components such as networkinterfaces, security mechanisms, load balancers, failover servers,management-and-network-operations consoles, other suitable components,or any suitable combination thereof.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may includeone or more user-profile stores for storing user profiles. A userprofile may include, for example, biographic information, demographicinformation, behavioral information, social information, or other typesof descriptive information, such as work experience, educationalhistory, hobbies or preferences, interests, affinities, or location.Interest information may include interests related to one or morecategories. Categories may be general or specific. As an example and notby way of limitation, if a user “likes” an article about a brand ofshoes the category may be the brand, or the general category of “shoes”or “clothing.” A connection store may be used for storing connectioninformation about users. The connection information may indicate userswho have similar or common work experience, group memberships, hobbies,educational history, or are in any way related or share commonattributes. The connection information may also include user-definedconnections between different users and content (both internal andexternal).

A web server may be used for linking the social-networking system 160 toone or more of the client system 130, the third-party system 170, themessaging system 180, or the game-managing system 190 via a network 110.The web server may include a mail server or other messagingfunctionality for receiving and routing messages between thesocial-networking system 160 and one or more client systems 130. AnAPI-request server may allow a third-party system 170, a messagingsystem 180, and/or a game-managing system 190 to access information fromthe social-networking system 160 by calling one or more APIs. An actionlogger may be used to receive communications from a web server about auser's actions on or off the social-networking system 160. Inconjunction with the action log, a third-party-content-object log may bemaintained of user exposures to third-party-content objects. Anotification controller may provide information regarding contentobjects to a client system 130. Information may be pushed to a clientsystem 130 as notifications, or information may be pulled from a clientsystem 130 responsive to a request received from a client system 130.Authorization servers may be used to enforce one or more privacysettings of the users of the social-networking system 160. A privacysetting of a user determines how particular information associated witha user can be shared. The authorization server may allow users to opt into or opt out of having their actions logged by the social-networkingsystem 160 or shared with other systems (e.g., a third-party system170), such as, for example, by setting appropriate privacy settings.Third-party-content-object stores may be used to store content objectsreceived from third parties, such as a third-party system 170. Locationstores may be used for storing location information received from clientsystems 130 associated with users. Advertisement-pricing modules maycombine social information, the current time, location information, orother suitable information to provide relevant advertisements, in theform of notifications, to a user.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may be anetwork-addressable computing system that can host an online messagingnetwork. The messaging system 180 may enable users to interact with eachother via a messaging application that they can access through theirclient systems 130. The messaging system 180 may allow a user tosend/receive messages, watch videos, share images, play games, etc. withother users connected to the online messaging network. The messagingsystem 180 may be accessed by one or more entities of the networkenvironment 100 either directly or via the network 110. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, a client system 130 may access themessaging system 180 using the client application 132, which may be anative application associated with the messaging system (e.g., amessaging application), either directly or via the network 110.

In some embodiments, the messaging system 180 and the social-networkingsystem 160 may operate in conjunction with each other to providemessaging services discussed herein to users of the messaging system180. In this sense, the social-networking system 160 may provide aplatform, or backbone, which the messaging system 180 may use to providemessaging services and functionalities to users across the onlinemessaging network. In some embodiments, the messaging system 180 and thesocial-networking system 160 may be combined into one single entity andthat entity may be responsible for providing the varioussocial-networking and messaging services/functionalities to users acrossthe Internet. For example, a single entity may include the variouselements/components of the social-networking system 160 and themessaging system 180, such as a social network server 162, a messageserver 182, a data store (including a social graph 166 and gamer graph186), APIs 168 a through 168 n, and APIs 188 a through 1888 n. In someembodiments, the messaging system 180 and the social-networking system160 may be linked to each other via one or more APIs. For example, themessaging system 180 or the social-networking system 160 may call an APIof the other entity to host or provide service(s) associated with theother entity in its own environment. In some embodiments, the messagingsystem 180 and the social-networking system 160 may operate asindependent entities and may communicate with one another via thenetwork 110 as depicted in FIG. 1. It should be noted that various otherconfigurations by which the various entities of the network environment100 may interact with each other are possible and is within the scope ofthe present disclosure.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may include amessage server 182. The message server 182 may be a computing device formanaging the messaging network and associated services/functionalitieshosted on the messaging system 180. The message server may includehardware, software, or embedded logic components or a combination of twoor more components for carrying out the appropriate functions orprocesses discussed herein. Although the messaging system 180 is shownhere to be including a single message server 182, it should be notedthat this is not by any way limiting and this disclosure contemplatesany number of message servers 182.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may include a datastore 184. The data store 184 may be used to store various types ofinformation. In particular embodiments, the information stored in thedata store 184 may be organized according to specific data structures.In particular embodiments, the data store 184 may be a relational,columnar, correlation, or other suitable database. Although thisdisclosure describes or illustrates particular types of databases, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable types of databases. Particularembodiments may provide interfaces that enable a client system 130, asocial-networking system 160, a game-managing system 190 and/or athird-party system 170 to manage, retrieve, modify, add, or delete, theinformation stored in data store 184. Although a single data store 184is shown as being associated with the messaging system 180, it should benoted that this is not by any way limiting and this disclosurecontemplates any number of data stores 184.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may store a gamergraph 186 in the data store 184. In particular embodiments, the gamergraph 186 may include multiple nodes—which may include multiple gamernodes or multiple game nodes—and multiple edges connecting the nodes.The gamer graph 186 may be used to determine a “game affinity” for afirst user with respect to a second user based on thedegree-of-separation within the graph, as well as other interactions,such as user frequency of interaction with a game, with other users,etc. The “game affinity” and these other interactions may be used tosuggest one or more games to a user and/or suggest one or more otherusers/players for game challenges or invites. The gamer graph 186 isdiscussed in further detail below in reference to at least FIG. 5.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may include aplurality of application programming interfaces (APIs) 188 a through 188n (individually and/or collectively herein referred to as 188). An API188 may enable the messaging system 180 to communicate with one or moreother entities of the network environment 100. For example, using API(s)188, the messaging system 180 may be able to send data to and/or receivedata from the social networking system 160, the game-managing system190, or the third-party system 170. In some embodiments, an API may bedefined for each application associated with the messaging system 180.For example, API 188 a may be a messaging application API, 188 b may bea gamer graph API, etc. In some embodiments, an API may be defined byone or more developers associated with the messaging system 180. In someembodiments, an API of the messaging system 180 may be sent to one ormore other entities of the network environment 100 that may enable themto add one or more additional features to an existing API of themessaging system 180. As an example and not by way of limitation, amessaging application API of the messaging system 180 may be provided toa game developer associated with the game-managing system 190 to add oneor more game relating features to the messaging application as discussedin reference to at least FIG. 3B.

In particular embodiments, the game-managing system 190 may be anetwork-addressable computing system that can host an online gamingnetwork. For instance, the game-managing system 190 may enable usersacross the Internet to play a variety of games with each other orindividually. The game-managing system 190 may be accessed by one ormore entities of the network environment 100 either directly or via thenetwork 110. As an example and not by way of limitation, the messagingsystem 180 may access the game-managing system 190 by way of one or moreAPIs (e.g., API calls) as shown in at least in FIG. 3A. API calls may behandled by an API hander, such as an API handler 202 shown in FIG. 2.

In particular embodiments, the game-managing system 190 may include agame server 192. The game server 192 may be a computing device formanaging the online gaming network hosted on and associatedservices/functionalities provided by the game-managing system 190. Thegame server 192 may include hardware, software, or embedded logiccomponents or a combination of two or more components for carrying outthe appropriate functions or processes discussed herein. Although asingle game server 192 is shown here, it should be noted that this isnot by any way limiting and this disclosure contemplates any number ofgame servers 192.

In particular embodiments, the game-managing system 190 may include agame library 194. The game library 194 may include a plurality of onlinegames that may be hosted on the game server 192. The game library 194may include games categorized and/or grouped by their respective genres.For example, the game library 194 may include games grouped by action,adventure, racing, puzzle, etc. In some embodiments, the game library194 is a data store that is accessible and/or modifiable by the gameserver 192. For instance, the game server 192 may be able to manage,retrieve, modify, add, or delete, the information stored in game library194.

In particular embodiments, the game-managing system 190 may include aplurality of application programming interfaces (APIs) 198 a through 198n (individually and/or collectively herein referred to as 198). An API198 may enable the game-managing system 190 to communicate with one ormore other entities of the network environment 100. For example, usingAPI(s) 198, the game-managing system 190 may be able to send data toand/or receive data from the social networking system 160, thethird-party system 170, or the messaging system 180. In someembodiments, an API may be defined for each application associated withthe game-managing system 190. For example, API 198 a may be a games API,198 b may be a leaderboard API, 198 c may be a gamer-profile API, etc.In some embodiments, an API may be defined by a game developerassociated with the game-managing system 190. In some embodiments, anAPI of the game-managing system 190 may be sent to one or more otherentities of the network environment 100 that may enable them to add oneor more additional features to the existing API. As an example and notby way of limitation, a games API of the game-managing system 190 may beprovided to messaging system 180 for it to integrate games as part ofits messaging network as discussed in reference to at least FIG. 3A.

In connection with network environments for online games, particularembodiments may utilize one or more systems, components, elements,functions, methods, operations, or steps disclosed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/475,801, filed 31 Mar. 2017, which isincorporated by reference.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example environment 200 inwhich a client system 130, a messaging system 180, and a game-managingsystem 190 may interact with each other. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows anenvironment 200 in which the client application 132, the message server182, and the game server 192 may interact with one another. The clientapplication 132 may be connected to the message server 182 via thenetwork 110 (e.g., internet) to send request(s)/receive response(s). Inparticular embodiments, the client application 132 may be a messagingapplication running on the client system 130 of a user. The messagingapplication is operable to provide one or more functionalities to theuser (e.g., chatting, games, etc.) in cooperation with the messageserver 182.

The message server 182 and the game server 192 may interact with eachother via APIs. For instance, the message server 182 may send one ormore of its APIs 188 to and/or receive one or more of the APIs 198 fromthe game server 192. Similarly, the game server 192 may send one or moreof its APIs 198 to and/or receive one or more of the APIs 188 from themessage server 182. This transfer of APIs is shown and discussed indetail in reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. The transfer of APIs or APIcalls may be handled by an API handler 202. The API handler 202 is asoftware, logic, and/or routine for handling API requests/calls from oneentity to another. For example, the API handler 202 may receive arequest from the message server 182 for an API 198 of the game server192. The API handler 202 may transfer the request to the game server 192and in response receive the requested API and then send that API to themessage server 182 to fulfil the request. Similarly, the API handler 202may handle a request for an API associated with the message server 182from the game server 192. As another example, the API handler 202 mayenable the message server 182 and the game server 192 to accessfunctionalities of one another by handling API calls between the twoparties.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are example interaction/flow diagrams illustratingexample interactions between a client system 130, a messaging system180, and a game-managing system 190. In particular, FIG. 3A is anexample interaction/flow diagram 300 showing one exemplary way by whichthe message server 182 requests an API from the game server 192 andprovide a service to a user associated with the client application 132.FIG. 3B is an example interaction/flow diagram 350 showing one exemplaryway by which the game server 192 requests an API from the message server182 and use that API to add one or more additional features that theuser can leverage through the client application 132 (e.g., messagingapplication). It should be noted that the interaction/flow diagramsshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B are for exemplary purposes only and are not byany way limited to these interactions. A variety of other interactionsare also possible between these entities and is within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

As depicted in FIG. 3A, the message server 182 requests a games API fromthe game server 192. Upon receiving the request, the game server 192looks for the requested API from plurality of APIs 198 stored in a datastore and provides its games API to the message server 182. The messageserver 182 may integrate the games API as part of its messagingenvironment/network such that users of the messaging network may be ableto play games via a messaging application (i.e., client application) ontheir client devices. Once integrated, the message server 182 maypresent a games-tab element on the client application 132, such as forexample, the games-tab element 600 shown in FIG. 6A. A user of theclient application 132 may select the games-tab element to access a listof games and make a game selection. A request to access the selectedgame is sent to the message server 182, which then makes an API call tothe game server 192 for initiating the selected game. The API call andany communication between the message server 182 and the game server 192may be handled by the API handler 202 as discussed elsewhere herein.Once the game is initiated, the user of the client application 132 maybe able to play the game from within the client application.

Turning now to the example interaction diagram 350 in FIG. 3B, the gameserver 192 may request a messaging application API from the messageserver 182. Upon receiving the request, the message server 182 looks forthe requested API from a plurality of APIs 188 stored in a data storeand provides its messaging application API to the game server 192. Agame developer of the game server 192 may add one or more features tothe existing messaging application API. The one or more features mayinclude, for example, a game bot that may engage with a user in amessage thread (also referred to as a “context”, discussed below in the“Game Channels” subsection), customized messages in a message thread(discussed below in the “Gameplay Threads” subsection), etc. Once theone or more features are added, the game server 192 may send the updatedAPI back to the message server 182 via the API handler 202. A user atthe message server 182 may evaluate the one or more features added bythe game developer in the messaging application API and take a decision.The decision may be whether to add the features to the API or not. Ifthe decision is affirmative, then the one or more features areintegrated as part of the messaging network.

The message server 182 may receive an indication from the clientapplication 132 (e.g., messaging application) that a user is requestingaccess to a game. The message server 182 may make an API call to thegame server 192 for initiating the game. The API call and anycommunication between the message server 182 and the game server 192 maybe handled by the API handler 202 as discussed elsewhere herein. Oncethe game is initiated, the user of the client application 132 may beable to play the game and leverage the one or more additional featuresfrom within the client application 132 or without having to leave theclient application 132.

Social Graphs

FIG. 4 illustrates an example social graph 166. In particularembodiments, the social-networking system 160 may store one or moresocial graphs 166 in one or more data stores. In particular embodiments,the social graph 166 may include multiple nodes—which may includemultiple user nodes 402 or multiple concept nodes 404—and multiple edges406 connecting the nodes. The example social graph 166 illustrated inFIG. 4 is shown, for didactic purposes, in a two-dimensional visual maprepresentation. In particular embodiments, a social-networking system160, a client system 130, a third-party system 170, a messaging system180, or a game-managing system 190 may access the social graph 166 andrelated social-graph information for suitable applications. The nodesand edges of the social graph 166 may be stored as data objects, forexample, in a data store (such as a social-graph database). Such a datastore may include one or more searchable or queryable indexes of nodesor edges of the social graph 166.

In particular embodiments, a user node 402 may correspond to a user ofthe social-networking system 160. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a user may be an individual (human user), an entity (e.g.,an enterprise, business, or third-party application), or a group (e.g.,of individuals or entities) that interacts or communicates with or overthe social-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, when a userregisters for an account with the social-networking system 160, thesocial-networking system 160 may create a user node 402 corresponding tothe user, and store the user node 402 in one or more data stores. Usersand user nodes 402 described herein may, where appropriate, refer toregistered users and user nodes 402 associated with registered users. Inaddition or as an alternative, users and user nodes 402 described hereinmay, where appropriate, refer to users that have not registered with thesocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, a user node 402may be associated with information provided by a user or informationgathered by various systems, including the social-networking system 160.As an example and not by way of limitation, a user may provide his orher name, profile picture, contact information, birth date, sex, maritalstatus, family status, employment, education background, preferences,interests, or other demographic information. In particular embodiments,a user node 402 may be associated with one or more data objectscorresponding to information associated with a user. In particularembodiments, a user node 402 may correspond to one or more webinterfaces.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 404 may correspond to aconcept. As an example and not by way of limitation, a concept maycorrespond to a place (such as, for example, a movie theater,restaurant, landmark, or city); a website (such as, for example, awebsite associated with the social-networking system 160 or athird-party website associated with a web-application server); an entity(such as, for example, a person, business, group, sports team, orcelebrity); a resource (such as, for example, an audio file, video file,digital photo, text file, structured document, or application) which maybe located within the social-networking system 160 or on an externalserver, such as a web-application server; real or intellectual property(such as, for example, a sculpture, painting, movie, game, song, idea,photograph, or written work); a game; an activity; an idea or theory;another suitable concept; or two or more such concepts. A concept node404 may be associated with information of a concept provided by a useror information gathered by various systems, including thesocial-networking system 160. As an example and not by way oflimitation, information of a concept may include a name or a title; oneor more images (e.g., an image of the cover page of a book); a location(e.g., an address or a geographical location); a website (which may beassociated with a URL); contact information (e.g., a phone number or anemail address); other suitable concept information; or any suitablecombination of such information. In particular embodiments, a conceptnode 404 may be associated with one or more data objects correspondingto information associated with concept node 404. In particularembodiments, a concept node 404 may correspond to one or more webinterfaces.

In particular embodiments, a node in the social graph 166 may representor be represented by a web interface (which may be referred to as a“profile interface”). Profile interfaces may be hosted by or accessibleto the social-networking system 160. Profile interfaces may also behosted on third-party websites associated with a third-party system 170.As an example and not by way of limitation, a profile interfacecorresponding to a particular external web interface may be theparticular external web interface and the profile interface maycorrespond to a particular concept node 404. Profile interfaces may beviewable by all or a selected subset of other users. As an example andnot by way of limitation, a user node 402 may have a correspondinguser-profile interface in which the corresponding user may add content,make declarations, or otherwise express himself or herself. As anotherexample and not by way of limitation, a concept node 404 may have acorresponding concept-profile interface in which one or more users mayadd content, make declarations, or express themselves, particularly inrelation to the concept corresponding to concept node 404.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 404 may represent athird-party web interface or resource hosted by a third-party system170. The third-party web interface or resource may include, among otherelements, content, a selectable or other icon, or other inter-actableobject (which may be implemented, for example, in JavaScript, AJAX, orPHP codes) representing an action or activity. As an example and not byway of limitation, a third-party web interface may include a selectableicon such as “like,” “check-in,” “eat,” “recommend,” or another suitableaction or activity. A user viewing the third-party web interface mayperform an action by selecting one of the icons (e.g., “check-in”),causing a client system 130 to send to the social-networking system 160a message indicating the user's action. In response to the message, thesocial-networking system 160 may create an edge (e.g., a check-in-typeedge) between a user node 402 corresponding to the user and a conceptnode 404 corresponding to the third-party web interface or resource andstore edge 406 in one or more data stores.

In particular embodiments, a pair of nodes in the social graph 166 maybe connected to each other by one or more edges 406. An edge 406connecting a pair of nodes may represent a relationship between the pairof nodes. In particular embodiments, an edge 406 may include orrepresent one or more data objects or attributes corresponding to therelationship between a pair of nodes. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a first user may indicate that a second user is a “friend”of the first user. In response to this indication, the social-networkingsystem 160 may send a “friend request” to the second user. If the seconduser confirms the “friend request,” the social-networking system 160 maycreate an edge 406 connecting the first user's user node 402 to thesecond user's user node 402 in the social graph 166 and store edge 406as social-graph information in one or more of data stores 164. In theexample of FIG. 4, the social graph 166 includes an edge 406 indicatinga friend relation between user nodes 402 of user “A” and user “B” and anedge indicating a friend relation between user nodes 402 of user “C” anduser “B.” Although this disclosure describes or illustrates particularedges 406 with particular attributes connecting particular user nodes402, this disclosure contemplates any suitable edges 406 with anysuitable attributes connecting user nodes 402. As an example and not byway of limitation, an edge 406 may represent a friendship, familyrelationship, business or employment relationship, fan relationship(including, e.g., liking, etc.), follower relationship, visitorrelationship (including, e.g., accessing, viewing, checking-in, sharing,etc.), subscriber relationship, superior/subordinate relationship,reciprocal relationship, non-reciprocal relationship, another suitabletype of relationship, or two or more such relationships. Moreover,although this disclosure generally describes nodes as being connected,this disclosure also describes users or concepts as being connected.Herein, references to users or concepts being connected may, whereappropriate, refer to the nodes corresponding to those users or conceptsbeing connected in the social graph 166 by one or more edges 406.

In particular embodiments, an edge 406 between a user node 402 and aconcept node 404 may represent a particular action or activity performedby a user associated with user node 402 toward a concept associated witha concept node 404. As an example and not by way of limitation, asillustrated in FIG. 4, a user may “like,” “attended,” “played,”“listened,” “cooked,” “worked at,” or “watched” a concept, each of whichmay correspond to an edge type or subtype. A concept-profile interfacecorresponding to a concept node 404 may include, for example, aselectable “check in” icon (such as, for example, a clickable “check in”icon) or a selectable “add to favorites” icon. Similarly, after a userclicks these icons, the social-networking system 160 may create a“favorite” edge or a “check in” edge in response to a user's actioncorresponding to a respective action. As another example and not by wayof limitation, a user (user “C”) may listen to a particular song(“Imagine”) using a particular application (SPOTIFY, which is an onlinemusic application). In this case, the social-networking system 160 maycreate a “listened” edge 406 and a “used” edge (as illustrated in FIG.4) between user nodes 402 corresponding to the user and concept nodes404 corresponding to the song and application to indicate that the userlistened to the song and used the application. Moreover, thesocial-networking system 160 may create a “played” edge 406 (asillustrated in FIG. 4) between concept nodes 404 corresponding to thesong and the application to indicate that the particular song was playedby the particular application. In this case, “played” edge 406corresponds to an action performed by an external application (SPOTIFY)on an external audio file (the song “Imagine”). Although this disclosuredescribes particular edges 406 with particular attributes connectinguser nodes 402 and concept nodes 404, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable edges 406 with any suitable attributes connecting user nodes402 and concept nodes 404. Moreover, although this disclosure describesedges between a user node 402 and a concept node 404 representing asingle relationship, this disclosure contemplates edges between a usernode 402 and a concept node 404 representing one or more relationships.As an example and not by way of limitation, an edge 406 may representboth that a user likes and has used at a particular concept.Alternatively, another edge 406 may represent each type of relationship(or multiples of a single relationship) between a user node 402 and aconcept node 404 (as illustrated in FIG. 4 between user node 402 foruser “E” and concept node 404 for “SPOTIFY”).

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may createan edge 406 between a user node 402 and a concept node 404 in the socialgraph 166. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user viewing aconcept-profile interface (such as, for example, by using a web browseror a special-purpose application hosted by the user's client system 130)may indicate that he or she likes the concept represented by the conceptnode 404 by clicking or selecting a “Like” icon, which may cause theuser's client system 130 to send to the social-networking system 160 amessage indicating the user's liking of the concept associated with theconcept-profile interface. In response to the message, thesocial-networking system 160 may create an edge 406 between user node402 associated with the user and concept node 404, as illustrated by“like” edge 406 between the user and concept node 404. In particularembodiments, the social-networking system 160 may store an edge 406 inone or more data stores. In particular embodiments, an edge 406 may beautomatically formed by the social-networking system 160 in response toa particular user action. As an example and not by way of limitation, ifa first user uploads a picture, watches a movie, or listens to a song,an edge 406 may be formed between user node 402 corresponding to thefirst user and concept nodes 404 corresponding to those concepts.Although this disclosure describes forming particular edges 406 inparticular manners, this disclosure contemplates forming any suitableedges 406 in any suitable manner.

Gamer Graphs

FIG. 5 illustrates an example gamer graph 186. In particularembodiments, the gamer graph 186 may include multiple nodes—which mayinclude multiple gamer nodes 502 or multiple game nodes 504—and multipleedges 506 connecting the nodes. The gamer graph may be used to determinea “game affinity” for a first player with respect to a second playerbased on the degree-of-separation within the graph, as well as otherinteractions, such as player frequency of interaction with a game, withother players, etc. The “game affinity” and these other interactions maybe used to suggest one or more games to a user and/or suggest one ormore other users/players for game challenges or invites. The examplegamer graph 186 illustrated in FIG. 5 is shown, for didactic purposes,in a two-dimensional visual map representation. In particularembodiments, a social-networking system 160, a client system 130, athird-party system 170, or a game-managing system 190 may access thegamer graph 186 and related information for suitable applications. Thenodes and edges of the gamer graph 186 may be stored as data objects,for example, in a data store (such as a gamer-graph database). Such adata store may include one or more searchable or queryable indexes ofnodes or edges of the gamer graph 186.

In particular embodiments, a gamer node 502 may correspond to a gamer ofthe messaging system 180. As an example and not by way of limitation, agamer may be a user who is involved with one or more games and/orgame-related activity on the messaging system 180. In particularembodiments, when a user interacts with a game and/or perform agame-related activity (e.g., like a game, share a game with friends,challenge friends in a game, send/receive game invites, etc.) on themessaging system 180, the messaging system 180 may create a gamer node502 corresponding to the user, and store the gamer node 502 in one ormore data stores.

In particular embodiments, a game node 504 may correspond to a game. Asan example and not by way of limitation, a game node may correspond to a“Pacman” game, “Battlefield” game, “Snake” game, “Slope Slider” game,“Batman” game, “Mario” game, “Tetris” game, “Scrabble” game, “Chess”,“EverWing” game, etc. In some embodiments, the messaging system 180 maycreate different game nodes 504 when one or more gamers interacts withone or more games. In some embodiments, the messaging system 180 maycreate game nodes by accessing a game library from a game-managingsystem 190 and then creating a node for each game.

In particular embodiments, a pair of nodes in the gamer graph 186 may beconnected to each other by one or more edges 506. An edge 506 connectinga pair of nodes may represent a relationship between the pair of nodes.In particular embodiments, an edge 506 between a gamer node 502 and agame node 504 may represent a particular action or activity performed bya gamer toward a game. As an example and not by way of limitation, onceuser “A” associated with the game node 502 played the game “EndlessCake” associated with the game node 504, the messaging system 180 maycreate an edge 506 “played” (which may be referred to as a played-typeedge 506) between the two nodes to indicate that “A” interacted with thegame. As another example, user “R” associated with the gamer node 502endorsed the “Pacman” game associated with the game node 504 on hisnewsfeed, the messaging system 160 may create an edge 506 “Endorsed” (anendorsed-type edge 506) to indicate the gamer's activity toward thatgame.

In particular embodiments, different type of edges may be used toindicate a certain degree of relationship or separation between twonodes. A degree of relationship between two gamer nodes is an indicatorof gamer affinity of a first gamer with respect to a second gamer. Forexample, the bolded edges between two gamer nodes in the gamer graph 186may represent a strong gamer affinity between the two players. By way ofexample, the edge 506 between the gamer node of “C” and the gamer nodeof “R” indicates a very strong gamer affinity between the two gamers asthey have mutual interests for the games as well as they are alsofriends. As another example, the edge 506 between the gamer node of “C”and the gamer node of “A” indicates a fairly strong gamer affinitybetween the two gamers as they also have mutual interests for the gamesbut they may or may not be friends.

In particular embodiments, different edge types may also be used toindicate a certain degree of relationship between a gamer node and agame node. This degree of relationship between a game and a gamer may beuseful to determine a player likeness/preference towards the game orfrequency of interaction with that game. For example, a bolded edgebetween the gamer node of “S” and the game node of “Snake” may indicatethat the a frequency of interaction of gamer “S” with “Snake” game isrelatively higher than other games which may be an indicator of usercertain degree of preference towards this game.

Games in Messaging Applications

In particular embodiments, a messaging system 180 (independently or incooperation with a social-networking system 160) may provide a dedicatedgames-tab element on a messaging application for the discovery of games.A user may be able to access the messaging application through a clientsystem 130 connected to a network. On interacting with the games-tabelement, a games tab may be shown comprising a dynamic list of gamesthat is constantly updated as the user interacts with one or more gamesin the list. The games tab can initially provide a simple list of games(e.g., for first time users), but can be iteratively transformed into amore customized list that includes both games recently interacted withby the user and game data for each of these games (including, forexample, message threads, total players playing, friends playing thegame, last moves, current scores, challenges, recent messages from otherplayers/bots, etc.).

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 (independently or incooperation with the social-networking system 160) may enable gamedevelopers to establish a direct relationship between users/players andgames inside message threads on the messaging application with the helpof programmable game channels (also interchangeably referred to hereinas game bots). The messaging system 180 may enable the use of these gamebots in the messaging application by providing an applicationprogramming interface (API) to the game developers. A game developer mayuse the API to design a game bot that may automatically send one or moremessages and/or updates to a user in a message thread based on hisinteractions with the game. As an example and not by way of limitation,the game bot may send a welcome message when a user plays his firstgame, options to challenge friends, announcements of new releases and/orgame features, etc.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 (independently or incooperation with the social networking system 160) may provide gameplaythreads that allow users to take in-game actions from within theirmessage threads. Using a gameplay message thread, a user may be able toplay a game with other users and see game status information from withinthe message thread without having to go to the game directly and leavinghis messaging application. The messaging system 180 may allow a gamedeveloper to send customized messages in a message thread. A customizedmessage may include customizable text and button(s), user photo, aninteractive screenshot of the game, etc. The screenshot in thecustomized message is interactive meaning that when a user interactswith the screenshot, a short video preview of the other user's gameplaycould be shown, and then a message allowing a follow-up action could besent to the user. Also, the text/button associated with the screenshotmay be customized (e.g., button “Play” may be customized to say“Challenge” or “Join the game”, etc.).

Games Tabs

A user on the messaging application may sometimes have difficulty infinding a desired game as there may not be a dedicated games-tab elementfor accessing a list of games. Even when a list of games is present, thelist may not be sorted in a manner useful to the user (e.g., based onuser preferences, past interactions, recency, challenges associated witha game, social interactions with other users, etc.). In particularembodiments, the messaging system 180 may provide a dedicated games-tabelement on the messaging application which a user can access through theclient system 130. For example, the client application 132 may be themessaging application that works in conjunction with the messagingsystem 180 via a network (e.g., the network 110) to providefunctions/services discussed herein. Upon interacting with the games-tabelement, a games tab comprising a list of games or references to games(e.g., titles/name strings of games, images/icons associated with thegames, etc.) may be shown to the user, as shown for example in FIG. 6A.When the user interacts with the games-tab element for the first time, agames tab may show a simple list of games sorted based on local/globalpopularity of the games (e.g., see FIG. 6A). For example, the list mayinclude a module for globally popular games, a module for games playedby friends, and a module for promoted games. The list of games may besorted based on one or more criteria. The one or more criteria mayinclude the user's activity on his or her newsfeed (e.g., the userwatched a movie relating to a game, the user viewed or shared postsrelating to a game), friends of user playing certain games, etc.

When the user selects a game from the list, the messaging system 180 maydirect the user to a message thread within the messaging applicationwhere a game bot may welcome the user on starting his first game(discussed further below). The game bot in the message thread may sendmessages to the user to keep him engaged with the game. The game bot maysuggest other users/players to the user for a multiplayer game sessionin the same message thread within the messenger application using agamer graph (see FIG. 5) of the user. In some embodiments, the user maybe able to invite other players that the user wants to play with in thesame message thread or in other message threads. As the user plays thegame (e.g., solo or with other users), the message thread(s) getpopulated with messages from the game bot and/or the other users. Thesemessages may include, for example, user scores, challenge(s) receivedfrom other users, game status, other users' status or performancemetrics (scores, ranks, levels, etc.) with respect to the game, user'sstanding locally (i.e., where does the user performance stands comparedto his friends/invitees/challengees in the game), user's standingglobally (i.e., where does the user stands compared to other userplaying the game around the world), new game levels, updates regardingthe game, etc.

In particular embodiments, when the user plays a game, the messagingsystem 180 may collect game data and incorporate that data in the gamestab. The game data may include, for example, the message threadscontaining messages from the game bot and/or the other users in order ofrecency, pending challenges in the game, user scores, other users'performance (e.g., scores) compared to the user, total number of usersplaying the game, etc. Incorporating game data into the games tab may beadvantageous as the next time the user interacts with the games-tabelement, the user may see all the game-related information (e.g.,message threads, scores, friend's performance, pending challenges,prizes/awards received, total number of user playing the game, etc.) andlinks to message threads containing social conversations at one place,as shown for example in FIG. 6B. When the user selects a particularlink, the user may be directed to the message thread associated with thelink where he can again initiate a game session with the partiesinvolved in that thread.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may perform theabove process of incorporating the game data into the games tab for eachgame and/or for each instance of the game that the user interacted with.The messaging system 180 may rank the list of games for display in thegames tab to a user. In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180may rank the list of games played/interacted by the user based on one ormore criteria. The one or more criteria may include, for example and notby way of limitation, a recency of interaction with the games by theuser, engagement level of the user with the games (i.e., how active isthe user playing or interacting with the games), social-network activityof the user (e.g., posts, endorsements, etc.) relating to the games,etc.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may rank the list ofgames using a gamer graph 186 associated with the user, as discussedabove in reference to at least FIG. 5. The gamer graph 186 may representgames and players/users as nodes, connected by edges within the graph,similar to a social graph. The gamer graph 186 may be used to determinea “game affinity” for a first user with respect to a second user basedon the degree-of-separation within the graph, as well as otherinteractions, such as user frequency of interaction with that game, withother users, etc. The information reflected in the gamer graph 186 maybe used to assign the ranks and sort the list of games accordingly.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may rank one or moremessage threads for associating with each game for display in the gamestab. The messaging system 180 may rank the message threads based on oneor more criteria. For example, a criterion for ranking the messagethreads may include a recency of messages between users in the messagethreads (i.e., how recent the messages were exchanged between two ormore users in a message thread). Message threads containing recentmessages may be given more priority compared to other message threadsand may be placed on top in the games tab. As another example and not byway of limitation, the criterion for ranking the message threads mayinclude a strength or type of relationship between participants/users inthe message threads. For instance, message threads having participantswho are friends/family or have a first degree of relationship may beranked better or given more priority relative to other message threadshaving participants with second or third degree of relationship. Inparticular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may use a gamer graph186 to determine the strength or type of relationship between users inthe message threads. For instance, edges 506 in the gamer graph 186 mayindicate how two users are connected with each other or their degree ofseparation. Also thickness/boldness level of an edge 506 may indicatehow strongly the two users are connected. For example, bold edges mayindicate a stronger bond between the two users as compared to thinedges, as shown in FIG. 5.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may make use of amachine-learning model to assign a rank to each game and messagethread(s) associated with the game, and then use the ranking to sort thelist of games and message threads for display in the games tab. Forexample, the model can constantly learn the user's behavior as heinteracts with the games and then rank the games based on how active theuser is with those games. By way of an example, if user and his friendsare most active with the game of “Pacman”, then “Snake”, and then“Battlefield”, the model may assign a rank 1 to “Pacman”, a rank 2 to“Snake”, and a rank 3 to “Battlefield” so that the user may see “Pacman”on the top, then “Snake”, and then “Battlefield”. In some embodiments,the machine-learning model may assign this ranking based on the recencyof social conversations reflected in the message threads associated withthe games. For example, if the last messages exchanged between the userand other user(s) are for the game of “EverWing”, then the model mayassign a rank 1 to that game and keep that on the top of the games list.In some embodiments, the machine-learning model may assign differentranks to games based on a likelihood or probability of userlikeness/preference towards a game. For example, if there are fifteenmessage threads associated with the “Pacman” game, nine message threadswith the “Slope Slider” game, and one message thread with the “EverWing”game, then this may indicate that the user has certain preference orlikeness towards the “Pacman” game. The model may use this indication toassign ranks to the games accordingly.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 (or themachine-learning model of the messaging system 180) may update the gamestab at periodic time intervals or in real-time to reflect a revisedgames listing and one or more message threads for each game. Forexample, the messaging system 180, at certain time intervals (e.g.,certain hours, days, weeks, etc.), determines games that have beeninteracted by a user and message threads that are involved with thosegames. The messaging system 180 may rank the interacted games and themessage threads based on criteria discussed above. Once ranked, themessaging system 180 may send instructions to the client application 132(e.g., messaging application) to display the updated games tabcomprising the games and message threads associated with each game inthe ranked order to a user of the client system 130.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 in cooperation withthe messaging application may provide a games-tab element for display toa user if the user is an active gamer or meets a certain threshold ofgaming activity. For example, the messaging system 180 may determinewhether the user interacted with one or more games (e.g., played/viewedgames, observed gameplay of other users, liked game(s), etc.) more thana threshold number of times before it displays a games-tab element tothe user. As an example and not by way of limitation, the games-tabelement may be provided to users that have played games at least tentimes, so if the user played the “Snake” game five times, “Pacman” gamethree times, and “EverWing” two times, then the user may be consideredas an active gamer and the games-tab element may be shown to the user inthe messaging application. As another example, the games-tab element maybe provided to users that have interacted with a messaging thread atleast once, so if the user is involved in a message thread observinggameplay of two other users involved in the thread playing “Chess” thenthe user may be considered as an active game observer and the messagingsystem 180 may use this information to display the games-tab element tothe user. In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 maydetermine whether the user is an active gamer/observer or if the usermeet the threshold of gaming activity based on the user's gamer graph.For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the edges associated with the gamer “C”(gamer node 502) indicate that C played the “Endless Lake” game,endorsed the “Pacman” game on his newsfeed, liked the “Battlefield”game, and observed the gameplay of friends in “Snake” game. Themessaging system 180 may use this information to determine that “C” isan active gamer. As another example, the bold edge connecting the node504 associated with gamer “S” and node 504 associated with game “Snake”may represent a strong connection between the two nodes, which mayindicate that “S” has played the game many times and the messagingsystem 180 may use this information for the determination. In someembodiments, the messaging system 180 may make the determination basedon a measure of game affinity of a user with respect to one or moregames as discussed elsewhere herein.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may provide a gamestab containing an initial list of games (see FIG. 6A) to all userswhether the users are active gamers/observers or first time userswithout any gaming activity in the past. In particular embodiments, themessaging system 180 may provide the games listing as shown in FIG. 6Bcontaining an inbox of gaming activities to a user only when a user hasinteracted with one or more games a certain number of times as discussedabove. It should be noted that other ways of presenting the games tab toa user are also possible and are within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show an example scenario of a transition from a simplelist of games (i.e., for first time visitors) to a customized inbox ofgame activities as discussed above. In particular, FIG. 6A is agraphical user interface showing an example games-tab element 600 on amessaging application. Upon interacting with the games-tab element 600,a user may see a games tab 602 containing an initial list of games,which as depicted includes a “Latest Releases” section 604 on the topshowing some newly released games and a “Popular Games” section 606showing some popular games. The user may be able to scroll down throughthe list to view more games with the help of a scroll bar, arrow buttons(e.g., down arrow) on the user's device, or just by swiping up with hisfinger. It should be noted that this list is shown for example purposesand may include other games and/or sections as discussed elsewhereherein. For example, the games tab 602 may include games based on useractivity on his newsfeed, friends of user playing certain games, userinteractions with some previous games, etc. The user may also be able tosearch a game of his choice through a search tab 608. Upon getting asearch query of the user in the search tab 608, the list may be updatedto reflect the desired game choice. The list of games may be dynamicallyupdatable as the user interacts with more and more games and toincorporate game data with each interacted game, as discussed below withrespect to FIG. 6B.

FIG. 6B is a graphical user interface showing an updated games tab 610containing a refreshed list of games once the user interacted with oneor more games. As depicted, the updated games tab 610 includesreferences to at least games 612, 614, and 616 along with game dataassociated with each of these games. For example, the referenced games612 and 614 include message threads 618 and 620, respectively,containing conversations that the user had with other user(s) regardingthese games, message(s) from each of these games itself, and informationreflecting game activity. The message threads for each game are shown inthe order of recency. Also, each of these message threads are arrangedsuch that the message thread shows the most relevant information to theuser. The information may be relating to the game. For example, themessage thread 618 from the game indicates to the user that his friendjust beat his score. As another example, message thread 618 b containingconversations between the user and his friends in a group named “CoolGroup” indicates to the user that his friends Sandy and Paul are statinga new and if the user wants to watch or join the game with them. Yet asanother example, the message thread 618 c having a group conversationbetween the user and his friends in a group named “Instant Playground”indicates to the user that “Jiakan set a new personal best” in the game612. The user may go to a desired message thread to view the completeconversation, resume his conversation, and/or take a game action vialinks 622. For example, the user may go to the message thread 618 a byinteracting with a link 622 a.

Also, in the graphical user interface of FIG. 6B, player/friendstatistics are provided for display along with each game. For example,the game 612 includes player/friend statistics 624 that indicate to theuser that thirty-two total players and two of the user's friends arecurrently playing the game 612. As another example, the game 614includes player/friend statistics 626 that indicate to the user thatfifty-nine total players and fourteen of the user's friends arecurrently playing the game 614.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example method 700 for presenting a gamestab on a messaging application associated with a messaging system 180.The method 700 may begin at step 710, where the messaging system 180 mayreceive, from a client system 130 of a first user of a messagingnetwork, a request for a games tab on a messaging application (e.g., theclient application 132) of the messaging network running on the clientsystem 130. At step 720, the messaging system 180 may identify one ormore games played by the first user. In particular embodiments, themessaging system 180 may use a gamer graph (e.g., the gamer graph 186)associated with the first user to identify the one or more gamesplayed/interacted by the first user, as discussed elsewhere herein. Atstep 730, the messaging system 180 may identify, for each identifiedgame, one or more message threads associated with the first user and therespective game. At step 740, the messaging system 180 may rank theidentified games based on more first criteria. The one or more firstcriteria may include, for example and without limitation, a recency ofinteraction with the games by the first user, a measure of engagement ofthe first user with the games, a measure of social-network activity(e.g., posts, endorsements, shares, etc.) of the first user relating tothe games, a measure of game affinity of the first user with respect toone or more of the identified games, etc. At step 750, the messagingsystem 180 may rank the one or more message threads associated with eachidentified game based on one or more second criteria. The one or moresecond criteria may include, for example, a recency of messages betweenusers in the message threads, a strength or type of relationship betweenusers in the message threads, etc. At step 760, the messaging system 180may send, to the client system 130 responsive to the request,instructions for presenting the games tab on the messaging application,wherein the games tab comprises a list of one or more of the identifiedgames presented in ranked order and, for each game, one or more messagethreads associated with the respective game presented in ranked order(as shown for example in FIG. 6B). Particular embodiments may repeat oneor more steps of the method of FIG. 7, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method ofFIG. 7 as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable steps of the method of FIG. 7 occurring in any suitableorder. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates anexample method for presenting the games tab by ranking games and messagethreads associated with each game including the particular steps of themethod of FIG. 7, this disclosure contemplates any suitable method forpresenting the games tab including any suitable steps, which may includeall, some, or none of the steps of the method of FIG. 7, whereappropriate. Furthermore, although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular components, devices, or systems carrying outparticular steps of the method of FIG. 7, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable combination of any suitable components, devices, or systemscarrying out any suitable steps of the method of FIG. 7. For example,the steps of the method 700 may be performed by the messaging system 180independently or by a combination of the messaging system 180 and thesocial-networking system 160.

Game Channels

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may enable gamedevelopers to establish a direct relationship between a player and agame with the help of a programmable game channel (herein referred to asa game bot), which may be a software code, logic, or routine thatinterprets user actions and responds accordingly. The messaging system180 may enable the use of these game bots in its applications (e.g.,messaging application) by providing an application programming interface(API) to the game developers, as shown for example in FIG. 3B. The gamedevelopers may be associated with a game-managing system, such as thegame-managing system 190. The API may link one or more applications ofthe messaging system 180, such as the messaging application, with thegame-managing system 190 to allow the game-managing system 190 toperform activities on the messaging application. For example, a gamedeveloper associated with the game-managing system 190 may use the APIof the messaging system 180 to design a game bot that automaticallyinteracts with a user in a message thread when the user interacts with agame. The messaging system 180 may integrate the game bot as part of itsmessaging environment so that the game bot may be able to interact witha user in a message thread.

When a user is about to play his first game, the messaging application(e.g., the client application 132) may notify the user that one or moreof his name, profile picture, social graph, gamer graph, etc. will beshared with the game (subject to the user's privacy preferences) and thegame can send messages and/or updates to the user in a message thread(as shown for example in FIG. 8A). In other words, when the user acceptsa game, the user may also accept permissions to receive messages fromthe game bot. Upon receiving an acceptance to start the game, themessaging application may share a user ID and a game ID associated withthe game with a game bot. In particular embodiments, a hashed version ofthe user ID (or other suitable anonymizing identifier) may be sharedwith the game bot such that user information is unique, secured, andremain anonymous (in order to protect the privacy of the user from thegame). Any standard cryptographic hash techniques/algorithms may beapplied for generating the hashed ID for the user. Some of thecryptographic hash algorithms may include, for example, message digest 5(MD5), secure hash algorithm (SHA), etc. Once the hashed user ID isshared with the game bot, the game bot may request the messaging system180 to initiate a message thread on the messaging application where thegame bot can send messages and/or updates associated with the game inthe message thread. The game bot may send messages and/or updates, viathe messaging application, to engage the player in the game. There maybe a two-way communication flow between the user and game i.e., (1) userto the game—when a user interacts with the game from inside themessaging application, and (2) game to the user—when the bot sends theuser game-related messages via the messaging application. Thegame-related messages may include, for example, welcome message when theuser first plays the game, information regarding other users (e.g.,friends) who played the game, options to challenge other users (the gamebot may suggest these other players using the player's gamer graph),updates regarding how other users are doing in the game (e.g.,information regarding game achievements, scores, leaderboard status),announcements of new releases, game features and/or levels, rewards andspecial prizes based on the user's performance in the game. Inparticular embodiments, a games tab on the messaging application of theuser may be updated in real-time or at periodic time intervals toincorporate the message thread containing messages between the user andthe game bot with the game.

In particular embodiments, the game bot may run in the background of thegame and analyze in-game actions of the user for sending messages. Thein-game actions may reflect how the user is doing inside the game, i.e.,his performance metrics (e.g., score, rank, level achieved) and/orstatus. Based on the analysis, the game bot may send one or moremessages to the user in the message thread. For example, an in-gameaction may include user achieving a score of 150 in the game of “Wordswith Friends”, and the game bot may analyze this action and follow-upwith the user by sending a message “Hey, good job! You just scored a 150in your game of Words” in a message thread. In particular embodiments,the game bot may send messages to the user in the message thread using adetect-event function for detecting events and an input-event functionfor sending messages to the user based on the detected events. Once anevent is detected, it may automatically trigger the input-event functionof the game bot to send a message to the user. For example, when thegame bot detects that a user “Tom” achieved a all-time high score in the“Temple Run” game, the game bot may interact with Tom in the messagethread by sending a message “Hey Tom, that was an impressive game. Youjust achieved a all time high score of X”. As another example, if a user“Jake” played his first game of “Endless Lake”, then the game bot mayinitiate interaction with Jake by sending a message saying “Hi Jake,nice to meet you! We hope you enjoyed your first game of Endless Lake.”(as shown for example in FIG. 8B).

In particular embodiments, the game bot may send a message to the userusing a mapping between the detected events and corresponding responsesdefined at the game-managing server 190. The mapping may indicate foreach type of event, what message should be delivered. These messages maybe predefined by the game developer/game admin associated with thegame-managing server 190. For example, for an event type “New GameLevels”, a message may be predefined such as “Good news! We have justreleased X new levels. Try them out!”, where X is the number of levelsthat are released in the game. In this example, the detect-eventfunction triggers the input-event function to look up the mapping andsend a message corresponding to the “New Game Levels” event type.

In particular embodiments, the game-managing system 190 may detect gameevents and once one or more of these events are detected, thegame-managing system 190 may make an API call to the messaging system180 providing the detected events, which the game bot may then use tosend an appropriate message to a user in a message thread. For example,the game bot may receive an event detected by the game-managing system190, compares the received event to the mapping (discussed above) andidentifies an appropriate message corresponding to the event for sendingto the user.

Alternatively, the game bot may be capable of detecting a variety ofevents by itself and sending messages based on these events. Forexample, an event may be how the user is doing inside the game. The gamebot may detect this event by using techniques, such as screen-scraping(capturing the image on the screen and parsing it to look for thingslike current user status, score, rank, user name, game level/stage, timeclock, etc.), memory monitoring (monitoring the state of a game byinspecting the game's memory space), packet analysis (intercepting thegame's data packets as they are sent/received), etc. As another example,an event may be how other users or friends of the user are doing withrespect to the game. The game bot may detect this event by accessing asocial graph 166 (FIG. 4) and/or a gamer graph 186 (FIG. 5) of the user.Yet as another example, an event may be new game updates and/orannouncements, such as new game levels (as shown in FIG. 8C).

In particular embodiments, the game bot may send customizedscreenshots/messages/buttons to the user (as shown for example in FIGS.11A and 11B). A customized message may include, as an example and not byway of limitation, one or more of an interactive game screenshot that,when interacted by the user, shows a preview of a gameplay of the useror any other user(s) playing the game; a customizable text indicating aperformance of the user in the game, or a customizable action buttonthat when interacted performs an action with respect to the game(discussed further below).

In particular embodiments, the game bot may send messages in the messagethread at particular time intervals. The time intervals may bepre-defined by the game developer who designed the game bot. Forexample, the game bot may be instructed to send messages to the userafter each game session, when a friend of user has played the game,there are new updates/releases in the game, etc. As another example, thegame bot may be instructed to engage or re-connect with the user aftercertain time/days have been passed. In some embodiments, there may be alimit on the number of messages that may be sent by the game bot to auser in a message thread. For example, when the user plays his firstgame then he may receive 5 messages within 10 days, but this limit maybe increased to 10 messages if the user plays the game 2+ times within aspecified timeframe, and so on. The message limit may be adjustablebased on a measure of game affinity of the user with respect to thegame.

As discussed earlier, in order to protect user privacy, the messagingapplication may use unique anonymized identifiers (e.g., hashed IDs, orother anonymized identifiers) to share with a game bot. In someembodiments, the same user may be assigned a different unique ID foreach game he is playing (in other words, the messaging application doesnot use the same unique ID for different games, and different games donot share unique IDs with each other). For example, James's unique IDfor the game “Pacman” may be 1111, and for the game “Snake” may be 2121.So every time James play the Pacman game, the game bot will use ID #1111to send messages to him in the messaging application. Similar to theunique user IDs, unique/hashed identifiers may be used to identifydifferent message threads (which may also be referred to as contextIDs). Also, the thread IDs may be anonymized so that the game developercannot use the actual thread maliciously, e.g., to post spam or othercontent that may be unrelated to the game. If there is more than oneuser involved in a particular message thread then a unique group ID(identifying two or more users in the message thread) will be sharedwith the game bot. The group ID identifies the group of users (e.g., agroup of friends) involved in the gameplay in a message thread. Forexample, users Jack and Jill may have a message thread with thread ID4727 associated with the game Pacman with group ID 3333, and users Jack,Larry, Moe, and Curly may have a message thread with thread ID 8236associated with the game Battlefield with group ID 3434. So there is 1:1association between the different entities involved in a game session,i.e., a particular user or group of users (user ID or group ID) maps toa particular game (game ID) which maps to a particular message thread(context ID).

In some embodiments, the game bot may engage one or more additionalusers (second users) in a message thread. The game bot may identifythese second users by accessing a social graph 166 (FIG. 4) or a gamergraph 186 (FIG. 5) associated with a first user engaged in the game. Forexample, using the gamer graph 186, the game bot may identify edgesconnecting the first user and one or more second users to the game. Oncethese second users are identified, the game bot may determine how thesesecond users are performing and may send a message to the first user inthe message thread indicating performance metrics of these second usersrelative to the first user. In some embodiments, the game bot may sendan option to the first user to play against an identified second user asshown for example by the message 814 in FIG. 8B. In response to theoption, the messaging application may receive an indication from thefirst user to play against the identified second user. The messagingapplication in cooperation with the messaging system 180 may send thisindication to a client system 130 associated with the identified seconduser. If the identified second user accepts the user request, themessaging system 180 may generate a context ID that identifies a messagethread for messaging the first and second users. The messaging system180 may provide this context ID to the game bot, which may then use itto send one or more messages to the first and second users in themessage thread.

FIG. 8A is a graphical user interface showing an example welcome page800 when a user requests a first time access to a game. The welcome page800 contains a brief description 802 about the game; game bot accessnotification 804 indicating to the user that his name, profile picture,and social information (e.g. from a social graph) will be shared withthe game, and that a game bot will be able to send messages and updates;and a link 806 to start the game.

FIG. 8B is a graphical user interface showing an example message thread810 containing messages that may be sent by a game bot. As depicted, thegame bot may send a message 812 when a user plays his first game. Thegame bot may send a message 814 when someone (e.g., a friend)outperforms the user and an option 816 to play back.

FIG. 8C is a graphical user interface showing the same message thread810 with some additional messages 820 and 822 sent by the game bot. Thegame bot may send the message 820 when the user achieved a certainstatus (e.g., a position in top 10) and an option 821 to challenge hisfriends so as to encourage social gameplay. The game bot may send themessage 822 when there are any new updates or releases to the game. Forexample, the message 822 notifies to the user that there are 3 newlevels released in the game along with a link 824 to go to a new level.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an example method 900 for initiating acommunication between a user and a game inside a message thread on amessaging application with the help of programmable game channels (orgame bots). The method 900 may begin at step 910, where the messagingsystem 180 may receive, from a first client system 130 of a first userof a messaging network, an indication the first user is accessing agame, wherein the first user has a first user identifier (ID). Inparticular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may provide a games-tabelement on a messaging application running on the first client system130 and the first user may access the game from a games tab (comprisinga list of games) that is resulted upon interacting with the games-tabelement (as discussed above in section “Games Tabs”). In someembodiments, the games-tab element may be presented based on the firstuser meeting a threshold level of gaming activity as discussed elsewhereherein. At step 920, the messaging system 180 may generate, based on thefirst user ID, a first hashed ID for the first user. At step 930, themessaging system 180 may provide the first hashed ID to a game botassociated with the game. The game bot may be a software agentconfigured to act automatically on behalf of the game. In someembodiments, software logic and/or instructions for the game bot may bedefined and added by a game developer to a messaging API associated withthe messaging system 180. At step 940, the messaging system 180 mayreceive, from the game bot, a request to initiate a message threadbetween the game bot and the first user on a messaging applicationrunning on the first client system. The message thread may have a uniquethread/context ID associated with the first hashed ID for the firstuser. At step 950, the messaging system 180 may send, to the firstclient system 130 of the first user, instructions for presenting themessage thread on the messaging application. The message thread mayinclude one or more messages referencing in-game actions in the game.The one or more messages may include, as an example and not by way oflimitation, a welcome message welcoming the first user in the messagethread in response to the first user playing the game for a first time,performance metrics including a score or a rank of the first user in thegame, updates and/or releases in the game, and a customized message (asshown and discussed with respect to FIGS. 11A and 11B). Particularembodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method of FIG. 9, whereappropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustratesparticular steps of the method of FIG. 9 as occurring in a particularorder, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 9 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates an example method for initiating acommunication between a user and a game inside a message thread on amessaging application with the help of game bots including theparticular steps of the method of FIG. 9, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable method for initiating the communication between the userand the game inside the message thread including any suitable steps,which may include all, some, or none of the steps of the method of FIG.9, where appropriate. Furthermore, although this disclosure describesand illustrates particular components, devices, or systems carrying outparticular steps of the method of FIG. 9, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable combination of any suitable components, devices, or systemscarrying out any suitable steps of the method of FIG. 9. For example,the steps of the method 900 may be performed by the messaging system 180independently or by a combination of the messaging system 180 and thesocial-networking system 160.

Gameplay Threads

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may enable a richgameplay experience between two or more users associated with a game ina message thread by allowing the user to directly interact with the gamevia the messaging application. For example, two players can be able toplay a game (e.g., take their turns) within a message thread andexchange messages relating to the game without having to leave themessaging application. This can be made possible using a game API from agame-managing system (e.g., the game-managing system 190) andintegrating it as part of social conversations on the messagingapplication.

FIGS. 10A-10C are graphical user interfaces showing a live gameplaysession between two users from inside a message thread on a messagingapplication. In particular, FIG. 10A is a graphical user interface 1000showing a message thread 1002 containing conversations between twousers. A first user may be able to start a game with a second user fromwithin the messaging application by clicking on a link 1004. Uponclicking the link 1004, a game window may appear on the first user'sscreen in the message thread from which the first user may play hisfirst turn (not shown). FIG. 10B is a graphical user interface 1010 thatis displayed on the second user's screen to join the game with the firstuser. The interface 1010 contains the message conversations 1002 and agame window 1012 that contains a game title 1014, status indicator 1016indicating player status (e.g., who started the game, whose turn it is,etc.), the actual game 1018 with live progress updates, player bar 1020indicating the players involved in the game along with their currentstatus, and an action button 1022 to take an action with respect to thegame. As depicted in the game window 1012, the second user “Andrea” maysee that a game of “Chess” has been initiated by the first user“Alissa”. Andrea can see the first move that Alissa took in the game.From the player bar, Andrea can see that Alissa is waiting for her tojoin and a “Join game” button 1022 to join the game and take the firstturn. Along with playing the game in the message thread, both the usersmay be able to send messages to each other in the same thread using atype bar 1024. FIG. 10C is a graphical user interface 1030 that isdisplayed on the first user's (Alissa) screen when the second user(Andrea) played the last turn. Similar to the game window 1012 discussedabove, a game window 1032 is shown on Alissa's screen. Using an actionbutton 1034, in this case “Play turn”, Alissa may be able to take herturn. This way the game windows 1012 and 1032 iteratively update as thegame progress and both the users may be able to enjoy the game sessionin the message thread without leaving the messaging application.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may enable the usersplaying the game in the message thread to invite one or more otherusers. For example, the messaging system 180 may provide an option tofirst and second users who are playing a live game inside a messagethread to invite one or more third users to join the game. The messagingsystem 180, via a messaging application, may receive a request to invitea third user from a client system 130 associated with the first or thesecond user. The messaging system 180 may send the request to a clientsystem 130 associated with the third user. In response to the third useraccepting the request, the messaging system 180 may engage the thirduser in the message thread with the first and second users. Inparticular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may generate a contextID that identifies the message thread for messaging the first, second,and third users. The messaging system 180 may provide this context ID toa game bot associated with the game that may then use it to send one ormore messages to the first, second, and third users in the messagethread. A message may include, for example and not by way of limitation,one or more of an interactive game screenshot that, when interacted,shows a preview of a gameplay of at least the first user or the seconduser; a customizable text indicating a performance of the first and/orthe second users in the game, and a customizable action button that wheninteracted performs an action with respect to the game. In someembodiments, the game bot may send, to the third user, a message havingan option for the third user to either join the game with the first andsecond users or watch gameplay of the two users in the message thread.

In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180 may enable gamedevelopers to customize game-related messages for display in a messagethread. The messaging system 180 may do so by providing a messagingapplication API to the game developers, as shown for example in FIG. 3B.A game developer may add necessary code/logic for the customizationfeature which the messaging system 180 may then integrate as part of itsmessaging environment. Once this feature is integrated, the messagesand/or buttons that are exchanged between the players are customizable.For example, instead of saying “Play” on the button, it could becustomized to say “Challenge” or “Join the Game” or “Make a Move”. Insome embodiments, this customization may be done by a game bot(discussed above in the “Game Channels” subsection). For instance, thegame bot associated with the game may track the game status and/or userperformance in the game and send a customized message to a user in amessage thread accordingly. In some embodiments, the game bot may use anartificial intelligence technique to generate a customized message.

In particular embodiments, customized messages may be generated fordifferent types of games. The different types of games may include, forexample, a solo/single-player game (i.e., where a user/player is playinga game by himself), a multi-player game (i.e., where two or more playersplay the game with or against each other); a competitive multi-playergame (i.e., where two or more players play the game against each other),a collaborative/cooperative multi-player game (i.e., where two or moreplayers are playing together to finish a game), a turn-based game (i.e.,where one or more players take actions in turn), a real-time/live-actiongame (i.e., where one or more players continuous play over time), orother suitable types of games. In a solo/single-player game scenario, acustomized message sent to a first player playing a certain game may be,for example, a leaderboard message showing scores/ranks of secondplayers with respect to the first player's score/rank for the game. Asanother example, a customized message may be a message indicating to afirst player that a second player (e.g., first player's friend) set anew personal best in a game and provide an option to play or challengehis friend (see FIG. 11A). In a multi-player game scenario (including acompetitive multi-player game), customized messages may be sharedbetween two or more players playing a game (e.g., as shown in FIG. 12).In this scenario, a customized message may show, for example,performance metrics of a player (e.g., score/rank/level in the game),current game status or screenshot, a short preview of the player'sgameplay, a profile icon showing a picture of the player, a game icon,and an option to play with or against the player. In a turn-based gamescenario, once a first player has taken his turn, a customized messagewill be presented to a second player in a message thread showing, forexample, the first player's current performance metrics, current gamestatus, a short preview of the last turn played by the first player, andan option to take the next move/turn in the game (e.g., as shown in FIG.10C). A similar customized message may be shown for a real-time/liveaction game scenario where the customized message may be updated inreal-time to reflect the game and player status (see FIG. 10C). In acollaborative/cooperative multi-player game scenario, a customizedmessage may be a message to a user indicating that his friends areplaying certain game and provide an option to the user to come join thegame and play with his friends to help them finish the game. Forexample, three players may be fighting a boss in a game and need help,the game bot may send a customized message to a potential fourth playersaying “Hey, your friends Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard are having atough time destroying the alien spaceship in the Battleship game, comeand save them!” and provide a button “Join the Game”. The game bot maymake use of the social graph (FIG. 4) or gamer graph (FIG. 5) to findthis potential fourth player and generate the customized message. Also,when two or more players are playing a game (either competitively (i.e.,against each other) or cooperatively (i.e., in harmony with eachother)), the game bot may send messages to other players (e.g., friends)providing options to either come join the game or view the game in amessage thread, as discussed elsewhere herein. For example, a messagemay be like “Hey come watch Tom and Harry play a game of Chess”. Itshould be noted that customized messages are not limited to thedifferent types of games or scenarios discussed herein, and customizedmessages for a variety of other scenarios or game types are alsopossible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are graphical user interfaces showing examplecustomized messages that may be sent by a game bot in a message threadfor a game. In particular, FIG. 11A is a graphical user interfaceshowing a customized message 1102 that may be sent by a game botassociated with the “EverWing” game in a message thread 1104. Thecustomized message 1102 may include an interactive screenshot 1106 ofthe game, a user photo 1108 that may also be customizable, userperformance metric 1110 (e.g., score, rank, etc.), a customizable text1112, and a customizable action button 1114 (e.g., “Play Now”). FIG. 11Bis a graphical user interface showing another example of a customizedmessage 1120 that may be sent by the game bot in the message thread1104. In the customized message 1120, the original text 1112 “Mike set anew personal best!” has been customized to a different text 1122 to say“Mike did a new best run!”. Also, the original action button 1114 “PlayNow” has been customized to a different action button 1124 to say “Jointhe Game”. The screenshot 1106 in the customized message 1102 or 1120may be interactive meaning that when a first user interacts with thescreenshot, a short video preview of a second user's gameplay could beshown, and then a message allowing a follow-up action could be sent tothe first user.

FIG. 12 is a graphical user interface showing example customizedmessages 1202 and 1204 that may be shared between two users in a messagethread. Similar to the customized message 1102 in FIG. 11A, each of themessages 1202 and 1204 contains an interactive game screenshot whichupon interaction shows a short video preview of a user's gameplay to theother user, game performance metrics, a user photo, a customizable text,and a customizable action button. In some embodiments, the text andaction buttons may be customized based on predefined rules set by a gamedeveloper for the customization. For example, the game developer maydefine that if a user's rank is in top 5 but not 1^(st), then the textcould be customized to say one of “Can you beat me?”, “Show me if youcan do better than this”, “Beat this”, “Beat my rank”, etc. Also, theaction button could be customized to say one of “Play”, “Make a move”,“Take a turn”, etc. As another example, for a rank 1 achievement, thegame developer may define that the text could be customized to say oneof “X is the winner”, “X wins the game”, “X achieved a trophy on gettingthe 1^(st) rank!”, “The winner is X”, “Congratulations X, you won thegame!”, etc. The action button for this case may be customized to sayone of “Watch”, “Replay”, “Rematch”, “Play again”, etc.

In particular embodiments, the game bot may make use of a randomfunction (e.g., rand( )) to randomly choose a text and action button fora customized message from a predefined set of rules by the gamedeveloper for particular scenarios as discussed above. In someembodiments, an action button in the customized message may containmetadata of a player (e.g., player ID, player score, pending challenges,player rewards, last turn, etc.) so when the player interacts with theaction button in the message thread, the game responds accordingly(without the user having to actually enter the game app). For example,if Jack is playing “Battlefield” against Jill, the game bot for the gamemay send a message to Jack indicating it is his turn, and present himwith two customized buttons, saying “Attack” and “Defend”. Jake couldthen click the “Attack” button in the messenger thread, causing theappropriate in-game action. Note that game bot can track the currentgame state, such that if Jack goes back and later hits the “Defend”button, he may get a notification saying “Sorry, it is Jill's turn.”Players involved in a conversation in a message thread have the optionto either watch the gameplay of other players or join the game.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method 1300 for initiating a livegame session between two users from within a message thread on amessaging application. The method 1300 may begin at step 1310, where themessaging system 180 may receive, from a first client system 130 of afirst user of a messaging network, a request to play a game with asecond user of the messaging network. The first client system 130 may berunning a first instance of a messaging application and the request maybe initiated from within a message thread in the first instance of themessaging application. In particular embodiments, the messaging system180 may provide a games-tab element on the first instance of themessaging application and the first user may request access to the gamefrom a games tab (comprising a list of games) that is resulted uponinteracting with the games-tab element (as discussed above in the “GamesTabs” subsection). In some embodiments, the games-tab element may bepresented based on the first user meeting a threshold level of gamingactivity as discussed elsewhere herein. At step 1320, the messagingsystem 180 may send, to a second client system 130 of the second user ofthe messaging network, the request to play the game, as shown forexample in FIG. 10B. The second client system 130 may be running asecond instance of the messaging application and the request may bereceived in the message thread in the second instance of the messagingapplication. At step 1330, the messaging system 180 may receive, fromthe second client system 130, an indication the second user has acceptedthe request to play the game. At step 1340, the messaging system 180 mayinitiate, at the first and second client systems 130, a game session ofthe game between the first user and the second user in the messagethread. The message thread may be operable to allow the first user orthe second user to perform one or more in-game actions in the game viathe message thread, as shown for example in FIG. 10C. The one or morein-game actions may include, for example and not by way of limitation,taking a turn to progress the game (see FIG. 10C), viewing a gameplay ofthe first user or the second user, sending a message to the first useror the second user, etc. Particular embodiments may repeat one or moresteps of the method of FIG. 13, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method ofFIG. 13 as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable steps of the method of FIG. 13 occurring in any suitableorder. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates anexample method for initiating a live game session between two users fromwithin a message thread of a messaging application including theparticular steps of the method of FIG. 13, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable method for initiating the live game session between the twousers from within the message thread including any suitable steps, whichmay include all, some, or none of the steps of the method of FIG. 13,where appropriate. Furthermore, although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular components, devices, or systems carrying outparticular steps of the method of FIG. 13, this disclosure contemplatesany suitable combination of any suitable components, devices, or systemscarrying out any suitable steps of the method of FIG. 13. For example,the steps of the method 1300 may be performed by the messaging system180 independently or by a combination of the messaging system 180 andthe social-networking system 160.

Social Graph Affinity, Game Affinity, and Coefficients

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 maydetermine the social-graph affinity (which may be referred to herein as“affinity”) of various social-graph entities for each other. Affinitymay represent the strength of a relationship or level of interestbetween particular objects associated with the online social network,such as users, concepts, content, actions, advertisements, other objectsassociated with the online social network, or any suitable combinationthereof. Affinity may also be determined with respect to objectsassociated with third-party systems 170 or other suitable systems, suchas the messaging system 180 or the game managing system 190. An overallaffinity for a social-graph entity for each user, subject matter, ortype of content may be established. The overall affinity may changebased on continued monitoring of the actions or relationships associatedwith the social-graph entity. Although this disclosure describesdetermining particular affinities in a particular manner, thisdisclosure contemplates determining any suitable affinities in anysuitable manner.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may measureor quantify social-graph affinity using an affinity coefficient (whichmay be referred to herein as “coefficient”). The coefficient mayrepresent or quantify the strength of a relationship between particularobjects associated with the online social network. The coefficient mayalso represent a probability or function that measures a predictedprobability that a user will perform a particular action based on theuser's interest in the action. In this way, a user's future actions maybe predicted based on the user's prior actions, where the coefficientmay be calculated at least in part on the history of the user's actions.Coefficients may be used to predict any number of actions, which may bewithin or outside of the online social network. As an example and not byway of limitation, these actions may include various types ofcommunications, such as sending messages, posting content, or commentingon content; various types of observation actions, such as accessing orviewing profile interfaces, media, or other suitable content; varioustypes of coincidence information about two or more social-graphentities, such as being in the same group, tagged in the samephotograph, checked-in at the same location, or attending the sameevent; or other suitable actions. Although this disclosure describesmeasuring affinity in a particular manner, this disclosure contemplatesmeasuring affinity in any suitable manner.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may use avariety of factors to calculate a coefficient. These factors mayinclude, for example, user actions, types of relationships betweenobjects, location information, other suitable factors, or anycombination thereof. In particular embodiments, different factors may beweighted differently when calculating the coefficient. The weights foreach factor may be static or the weights may change according to, forexample, the user, the type of relationship, the type of action, theuser's location, and so forth. Ratings for the factors may be combinedaccording to their weights to determine an overall coefficient for theuser. As an example and not by way of limitation, particular useractions may be assigned both a rating and a weight while a relationshipassociated with the particular user action is assigned a rating and acorrelating weight (e.g., so the weights total 100%). To calculate thecoefficient of a user towards a particular object, the rating assignedto the user's actions may comprise, for example, 60% of the overallcoefficient, while the relationship between the user and the object maycomprise 40% of the overall coefficient. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may consider a variety of variables whendetermining weights for various factors used to calculate a coefficient,such as, for example, the time since information was accessed, decayfactors, frequency of access, relationship to information orrelationship to the object about which information was accessed,relationship to social-graph entities connected to the object, short- orlong-term averages of user actions, user feedback, other suitablevariables, or any combination thereof. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a coefficient may include a decay factor that causes thestrength of the signal provided by particular actions to decay withtime, such that more recent actions are more relevant when calculatingthe coefficient. The ratings and weights may be continuously updatedbased on continued tracking of the actions upon which the coefficient isbased. Any type of process or algorithm may be employed for assigning,combining, averaging, and so forth the ratings for each factor and theweights assigned to the factors. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may determine coefficients usingmachine-learning algorithms trained on historical actions and past userresponses, or data farmed from users by exposing them to various optionsand measuring responses. Although this disclosure describes calculatingcoefficients in a particular manner, this disclosure contemplatescalculating coefficients in any suitable manner.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 maycalculate a coefficient based on a user's actions. The social-networkingsystem 160 may monitor such actions on the online social network, on athird-party system 170, on a messaging system 180, on a game-managingsystem 190, on other suitable systems, or any combination thereof. Anysuitable type of user actions may be tracked or monitored. Typical useractions include viewing profile interfaces, creating or posting content,interacting with content, tagging or being tagged in images, joininggroups, listing and confirming attendance at events, checking-in atlocations, liking particular interfaces, creating interfaces, andperforming other tasks that facilitate social action. In particularembodiments, the social-networking system 160 may calculate acoefficient based on the user's actions with particular types ofcontent. The content may be associated with the online social network, athird-party system 170, an online messaging network associated with amessaging system 180, an online gaming network associated with agame-managing system 190, or another suitable system. The content mayinclude users, profile interfaces, posts, news stories, headlines,instant messages, chat room conversations, emails, advertisements,pictures, video, music, other suitable objects, or any combinationthereof. The social-networking system 160 may analyze a user's actionsto determine whether one or more of the actions indicate an affinity forsubject matter, content, other users, and so forth. As an example andnot by way of limitation, if a user frequently posts content related to“coffee” or variants thereof, the social-networking system 160 maydetermine the user has a high coefficient with respect to the concept“coffee”. Particular actions or types of actions may be assigned ahigher weight and/or rating than other actions, which may affect theoverall calculated coefficient. As an example and not by way oflimitation, if a first user emails a second user, the weight or therating for the action may be higher than if the first user simply viewsthe user-profile interface for the second user.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 maycalculate a coefficient based on the type of relationship betweenparticular objects. Referencing the social graph 166, thesocial-networking system 160 may analyze the number and/or type of edges406 connecting particular user nodes 402 and concept nodes 404 whencalculating a coefficient. As an example and not by way of limitation,user nodes 402 that are connected by a spouse-type edge (representingthat the two users are married) may be assigned a higher coefficientthan a user nodes 402 that are connected by a friend-type edge. In otherwords, depending upon the weights assigned to the actions andrelationships for the particular user, the overall affinity may bedetermined to be higher for content about the user's spouse than forcontent about the user's friend. In particular embodiments, therelationships a user has with another object may affect the weightsand/or the ratings of the user's actions with respect to calculating thecoefficient for that object. As an example and not by way of limitation,if a user is tagged in a first photo, but merely likes a second photo,the social-networking system 160 may determine that the user has ahigher coefficient with respect to the first photo than the second photobecause having a tagged-in-type relationship with content may beassigned a higher weight and/or rating than having a like-typerelationship with content. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may calculate a coefficient for a firstuser based on the relationship one or more second users have with aparticular object. In other words, the connections and coefficientsother users have with an object may affect the first user's coefficientfor the object. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a firstuser is connected to or has a high coefficient for one or more secondusers, and those second users are connected to or have a highcoefficient for a particular object, the social-networking system 160may determine that the first user should also have a relatively highcoefficient for the particular object. In particular embodiments, thecoefficient may be based on the degree of separation between particularobjects. The lower coefficient may represent the decreasing likelihoodthat the first user will share an interest in content objects of theuser that is indirectly connected to the first user in the social graph166. As an example and not by way of limitation, social-graph entitiesthat are closer in the social graph 166 (i.e., fewer degrees ofseparation) may have a higher coefficient than entities that are furtherapart in the social graph 166.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 maycalculate a coefficient based on location information. Objects that aregeographically closer to each other may be considered to be more relatedor of more interest to each other than more distant objects. Inparticular embodiments, the coefficient of a user towards a particularobject may be based on the proximity of the object's location to acurrent location associated with the user (or the location of a clientsystem 130 of the user). A first user may be more interested in otherusers or concepts that are closer to the first user. As an example andnot by way of limitation, if a user is one mile from an airport and twomiles from a gas station, the social-networking system 160 may determinethat the user has a higher coefficient for the airport than the gasstation based on the proximity of the airport to the user.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 may performparticular actions with respect to a user based on coefficientinformation. Coefficients may be used to predict whether a user willperform a particular action based on the user's interest in the action.A coefficient may be used when generating or presenting any type ofobjects to a user, such as advertisements, search results, news stories,media, messages, notifications, or other suitable objects. Thecoefficient may also be utilized to rank and order such objects, asappropriate. In this way, the social-networking system 160 may provideinformation that is relevant to user's interests and currentcircumstances, increasing the likelihood that they will find suchinformation of interest. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may generate content based on coefficientinformation. Content objects may be provided or selected based oncoefficients specific to a user. As an example and not by way oflimitation, the coefficient may be used to generate media for the user,where the user may be presented with media for which the user has a highoverall coefficient with respect to the media object. As another exampleand not by way of limitation, the coefficient may be used to generateadvertisements for the user, where the user may be presented withadvertisements for which the user has a high overall coefficient withrespect to the advertised object. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may generate search results based oncoefficient information. Search results for a particular user may bescored or ranked based on the coefficient associated with the searchresults with respect to the querying user. As an example and not by wayof limitation, search results corresponding to objects with highercoefficients may be ranked higher on a search-results interface thanresults corresponding to objects having lower coefficients.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 maycalculate a coefficient in response to a request for a coefficient froma particular system or process. To predict the likely actions a user maytake (or may be the subject of) in a given situation, any process mayrequest a calculated coefficient for a user. The request may alsoinclude a set of weights to use for various factors used to calculatethe coefficient. This request may come from a process running on theonline social network, from a third-party system 170 (e.g., via an APIor other communication channel), or from another suitable system. Inresponse to the request, the social-networking system 160 may calculatethe coefficient (or access the coefficient information if it haspreviously been calculated and stored). In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may measure an affinity with respect to aparticular process. Different processes (both internal and external tothe online social network) may request a coefficient for a particularobject or set of objects. The social-networking system 160 may provide ameasure of affinity that is relevant to the particular process thatrequested the measure of affinity. In this way, each process receives ameasure of affinity that is tailored for the different context in whichthe process will use the measure of affinity.

In connection with social-graph affinity and affinity coefficients,particular embodiments may utilize one or more systems, components,elements, functions, methods, operations, or steps disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/503,093, filed 11 Aug. 2006, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/977,027, filed 22 Dec. 2010, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/978,265, filed 23 Dec. 2010, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/632,869, filed 1 Oct. 2012, each of which isincorporated by reference.

In connection with game affinity and analysis of the gamer graph,described above, particular embodiments may utilize one or more systems,components, elements, functions, methods, operations, or steps describedin relation to social-graph affinity and affinity coefficients describedabove. In particular embodiments, the messaging system 180(independently or in cooperation with the social-networking system 160)may determine the game affinity of various game-graph entities for eachother. Game affinity may represent the strength of a relationship orlevel of interest between particular objects associated with the onlinegaming environment, such as users, games, and other objects associatedwith the online gaming environment, or any suitable combination thereof.Game affinity may also be determined with respect to objects associatedwith social-networking systems 160, third-party systems 170,game-managing systems 190, or other suitable systems. An overall gameaffinity for a game-graph entity for each user, game, or type of objectmay be established. The overall game affinity may change based oncontinued monitoring of the actions or relationships associated with thegame-graph entity. Although this disclosure describes determiningparticular game affinities in a particular manner, this disclosurecontemplates determining any suitable game affinities in any suitablemanner.

Advertising

In particular embodiments, an advertisement may be text (which may beHTML-linked), one or more images (which may be HTML-linked), one or morevideos, audio, one or more ADOBE FLASH files, a suitable combination ofthese, or any other suitable advertisement in any suitable digitalformat presented on one or more web interfaces, in one or more e-mails,or in connection with search results requested by a user. In addition oras an alternative, an advertisement may be one or more sponsored stories(e.g., a news-feed or ticker item on the social-networking system 160).A sponsored story may be a social action by a user (such as “liking” aninterface, “liking” or commenting on a post on an interface, RSVPing toan event associated with an interface, voting on a question posted on aninterface, checking in to a place, using an application or playing agame, or “liking” or sharing a website) that an advertiser promotes, forexample, by having the social action presented within a pre-determinedarea of a profile interface of a user or other interface, presented withadditional information associated with the advertiser, bumped up orotherwise highlighted within news feeds or tickers of other users, orotherwise promoted. The advertiser may pay to have the social actionpromoted. As an example and not by way of limitation, advertisements maybe included among the search results of a search-results interface,where sponsored content is promoted over non-sponsored content.

In particular embodiments, an advertisement may be requested for displaywithin social-networking-system web interfaces, third-party webinterfaces, or other interfaces. An advertisement may be displayed in adedicated portion of an interface, such as in a banner area at the topof the interface, in a column at the side of the interface, in a GUIwithin the interface, in a pop-up window, in a drop-down menu, in aninput field of the interface, over the top of content of the interface,or elsewhere with respect to the interface. In addition or as analternative, an advertisement may be displayed within an application. Anadvertisement may be displayed within dedicated interfaces, requiringthe user to interact with or watch the advertisement before the user mayaccess an interface or utilize an application. The user may, for exampleview the advertisement through a web browser.

A user may interact with an advertisement in any suitable manner. Theuser may click or otherwise select the advertisement. By selecting theadvertisement, the user may be directed to (or a browser or otherapplication being used by the user) an interface associated with theadvertisement. At the interface associated with the advertisement, theuser may take additional actions, such as purchasing a product orservice associated with the advertisement, receiving informationassociated with the advertisement, or subscribing to a newsletterassociated with the advertisement. An advertisement with audio or videomay be played by selecting a component of the advertisement (like a“play button”). Alternatively, by selecting the advertisement, thesocial-networking system 160 may execute or modify a particular actionof the user.

An advertisement may also include social-networking-system functionalitythat a user may interact with. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an advertisement may enable a user to “like” or otherwiseendorse the advertisement by selecting an icon or link associated withendorsement. As another example and not by way of limitation, anadvertisement may enable a user to search (e.g., by executing a query)for content related to the advertiser. Similarly, a user may share theadvertisement with another user (e.g., through the social-networkingsystem 160) or RSVP (e.g., through the social-networking system 160) toan event associated with the advertisement. In addition or as analternative, an advertisement may include social-networking-systemcontent directed to the user. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an advertisement may display information about a friend ofthe user within the social-networking system 160 who has taken an actionassociated with the subject matter of the advertisement.

Privacy

In particular embodiments, one or more of the content objects of theonline social network may be associated with a privacy setting. Theprivacy settings (or “access settings”) for an object may be stored inany suitable manner, such as, for example, in association with theobject, in an index on an authorization server, in another suitablemanner, or any combination thereof. A privacy setting of an object mayspecify how the object (or particular information associated with anobject) can be accessed (e.g., viewed or shared) using the online socialnetwork. Where the privacy settings for an object allow a particularuser to access that object, the object may be described as being“visible” with respect to that user. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a user of the online social network may specify privacysettings for a user-profile interface that identify a set of users thatmay access the work experience information on the user-profileinterface, thus excluding other users from accessing the information. Inparticular embodiments, the privacy settings may specify a “blockedlist” of users that should not be allowed to access certain informationassociated with the object. In other words, the blocked list may specifyone or more users or entities for which an object is not visible. As anexample and not by way of limitation, a user may specify a set of usersthat may not access photos albums associated with the user, thusexcluding those users from accessing the photo albums (while alsopossibly allowing certain users not within the set of users to accessthe photo albums). In particular embodiments, privacy settings may beassociated with particular social-graph elements. Privacy settings of asocial-graph element, such as a node or an edge, may specify how thesocial-graph element, information associated with the social-graphelement, or content objects associated with the social-graph element canbe accessed using the online social network. As an example and not byway of limitation, a particular concept node 404 corresponding to aparticular photo may have a privacy setting specifying that the photomay only be accessed by users tagged in the photo and their friends. Inparticular embodiments, privacy settings may allow users to opt in oropt out of having their actions logged by the social-networking system160, the messaging system 180, or shared with other systems (e.g., athird-party system 170, game-managing system 190, etc.). In particularembodiments, the privacy settings associated with an object may specifyany suitable granularity of permitted access or denial of access. As anexample and not by way of limitation, access or denial of access may bespecified for particular users (e.g., only me, my roommates, and myboss), users within a particular degrees-of-separation (e.g., friends,or friends-of-friends), user groups (e.g., the gaming club, my family),user networks (e.g., employees of particular employers, students oralumni of particular university), all users (“public”), no users(“private”), users of third-party systems 170, particular applications(e.g., third-party applications, external websites), other suitableusers or entities, or any combination thereof. Although this disclosuredescribes using particular privacy settings in a particular manner, thisdisclosure contemplates using any suitable privacy settings in anysuitable manner.

In particular embodiments, the social-networking system 160 or themessaging system 180 may include authorization/privacy servers forenforcing privacy settings. In response to a request from a user (orother entity) for a particular object stored in a data store 164 or datastore 184, the social-networking system 160/the messaging system 180 maysend a request to the data store 164/data store 184 for the object. Therequest may identify the user associated with the request and may onlybe sent to the user (or a client system 130 of the user) if theauthorization server determines that the user is authorized to accessthe object based on the privacy settings associated with the object. Ifthe requesting user is not authorized to access the object, theauthorization server may prevent the requested object from beingretrieved from the data store 164/data store 184, or may prevent therequested object from being sent to the user. In the search querycontext, an object may only be generated as a search result if thequerying user is authorized to access the object. In other words, theobject must have a visibility that is visible to the querying user. Ifthe object has a visibility that is not visible to the user, the objectmay be excluded from the search results. Although this disclosuredescribes enforcing privacy settings in a particular manner, thisdisclosure contemplates enforcing privacy settings in any suitablemanner.

Systems and Methods

FIG. 14 illustrates an example computer system 1400. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 1400 perform one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 1400 provide functionalitydescribed or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, softwarerunning on one or more computer systems 1400 performs one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein or providesfunctionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodimentsinclude one or more portions of one or more computer systems 1400.Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device,and vice versa, where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computersystem may encompass one or more computer systems, where appropriate.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems1400. This disclosure contemplates computer system 1400 taking anysuitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation,computer system 1400 may be an embedded computer system, asystem-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, forexample, a computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), adesktop computer system, a laptop or notebook computer system, aninteractive kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobiletelephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a tabletcomputer system, or a combination of two or more of these. Whereappropriate, computer system 1400 may include one or more computersystems 1400; be unitary or distributed; span multiple locations; spanmultiple machines; span multiple data centers; or reside in a cloud,which may include one or more cloud components in one or more networks.Where appropriate, one or more computer systems 1400 may perform withoutsubstantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not byway of limitation, one or more computer systems 1400 may perform in realtime or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods describedor illustrated herein. One or more computer systems 1400 may perform atdifferent times or at different locations one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate.

In particular embodiments, computer system 1400 includes a processor1402, memory 1404, storage 1406, an input/output (I/O) interface 1408, acommunication interface 1410, and a bus 1412. Although this disclosuredescribes and illustrates a particular computer system having aparticular number of particular components in a particular arrangement,this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having anysuitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement.

In particular embodiments, processor 1402 includes hardware forexecuting instructions, such as those making up a computer program. Asan example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions,processor 1402 may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internalregister, an internal cache, memory 1404, or storage 1406; decode andexecute them; and then write one or more results to an internalregister, an internal cache, memory 1404, or storage 1406. In particularembodiments, processor 1402 may include one or more internal caches fordata, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor1402 including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches,where appropriate. As an example and not by way of limitation, processor1402 may include one or more instruction caches, one or more datacaches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs).Instructions in the instruction caches may be copies of instructions inmemory 1404 or storage 1406, and the instruction caches may speed upretrieval of those instructions by processor 1402. Data in the datacaches may be copies of data in memory 1404 or storage 1406 forinstructions executing at processor 1402 to operate on; the results ofprevious instructions executed at processor 1402 for access bysubsequent instructions executing at processor 1402 or for writing tomemory 1404 or storage 1406; or other suitable data. The data caches mayspeed up read or write operations by processor 1402. The TLBs may speedup virtual-address translation for processor 1402. In particularembodiments, processor 1402 may include one or more internal registersfor data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplatesprocessor 1402 including any suitable number of any suitable internalregisters, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor 1402 mayinclude one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-coreprocessor; or include one or more processors 1402. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable processor.

In particular embodiments, memory 1404 includes main memory for storinginstructions for processor 1402 to execute or data for processor 1402 tooperate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system1400 may load instructions from storage 1406 or another source (such as,for example, another computer system 1400) to memory 1404. Processor1402 may then load the instructions from memory 1404 to an internalregister or internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor 1402may retrieve the instructions from the internal register or internalcache and decode them. During or after execution of the instructions,processor 1402 may write one or more results (which may be intermediateor final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor1402 may then write one or more of those results to memory 1404. Inparticular embodiments, processor 1402 executes only instructions in oneor more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 1404 (asopposed to storage 1406 or elsewhere) and operates only on data in oneor more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 1404 (asopposed to storage 1406 or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (whichmay each include an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor1402 to memory 1404. Bus 1412 may include one or more memory buses, asdescribed below. In particular embodiments, one or more memorymanagement units (MMUs) reside between processor 1402 and memory 1404and facilitate accesses to memory 1404 requested by processor 1402. Inparticular embodiments, memory 1404 includes random access memory (RAM).This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate. Where appropriate,this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, whereappropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 1404 may include one ormore memories 1404, where appropriate. Although this disclosuredescribes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable memory.

In particular embodiments, storage 1406 includes mass storage for dataor instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage1406 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flashmemory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or aUniversal Serial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more ofthese. Storage 1406 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed)media, where appropriate. Storage 1406 may be internal or external tocomputer system 1400, where appropriate. In particular embodiments,storage 1406 is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particularembodiments, storage 1406 includes read-only memory (ROM). Whereappropriate, this ROM may be mask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM(PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM),electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination oftwo or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage 1406taking any suitable physical form. Storage 1406 may include one or morestorage control units facilitating communication between processor 1402and storage 1406, where appropriate. Where appropriate, storage 1406 mayinclude one or more storages 1406. Although this disclosure describesand illustrates particular storage, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable storage.

In particular embodiments, I/O interface 1408 includes hardware,software, or both, providing one or more interfaces for communicationbetween computer system 1400 and one or more I/O devices. Computersystem 1400 may include one or more of these I/O devices, whereappropriate. One or more of these I/O devices may enable communicationbetween a person and computer system 1400. As an example and not by wayof limitation, an I/O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone,monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet,touch screen, trackball, video camera, another suitable I/O device or acombination of two or more of these. An I/O device may include one ormore sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices andany suitable I/O interfaces 1408 for them. Where appropriate, I/Ointerface 1408 may include one or more device or software driversenabling processor 1402 to drive one or more of these I/O devices. I/Ointerface 1408 may include one or more I/O interfaces 1408, whereappropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates aparticular I/O interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable I/Ointerface.

In particular embodiments, communication interface 1410 includeshardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces forcommunication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) betweencomputer system 1400 and one or more other computer systems 1400 or oneor more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation,communication interface 1410 may include a network interface controller(NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or otherwire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter forcommunicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitablecommunication interface 1410 for it. As an example and not by way oflimitation, computer system 1400 may communicate with an ad hoc network,a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or moreportions of the Internet or a combination of two or more of these. Oneor more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired orwireless. As an example, computer system 1400 may communicate with awireless PAN (WPAN) (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FInetwork, a WI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, forexample, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), orother suitable wireless network or a combination of two or more ofthese. Computer system 1400 may include any suitable communicationinterface 1410 for any of these networks, where appropriate.Communication interface 1410 may include one or more communicationinterfaces 1410, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describesand illustrates a particular communication interface, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable communication interface.

In particular embodiments, bus 1412 includes hardware, software, or bothcoupling components of computer system 1400 to each other. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, bus 1412 may include an AcceleratedGraphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry StandardArchitecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT)interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBANDinterconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro ChannelArchitecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, aPCI-Express (PCIe) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, oranother suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus 1412may include one or more buses 1412, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media mayinclude one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits(ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) orapplication-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid harddrives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs),magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppydisk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs),RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitablecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitablecombination of two or more of these, where appropriate. Acomputer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile,non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, whereappropriate.

Miscellaneous

Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicatedotherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B”means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicatedotherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unlessexpressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,”unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.

The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodimentsdescribed or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill inthe art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited tothe example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover,although this disclosure describes and illustrates respectiveembodiments herein as including particular components, elements,feature, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments mayinclude any combination or permutation of any of the components,elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described orillustrated anywhere herein that a person having ordinary skill in theart would comprehend. Furthermore, reference in the appended claims toan apparatus or system or a component of an apparatus or system beingadapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operableto, or operative to perform a particular function encompasses thatapparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particularfunction is activated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as thatapparatus, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable,configured, enabled, operable, or operative. Additionally, although thisdisclosure describes or illustrates particular embodiments as providingparticular advantages, particular embodiments may provide none, some, orall of these advantages.

1. A method comprising, by one or more computer systems: receiving, in agroup conversation in a message thread on a messaging application, arequest to access a game from inside the message thread from one or moreusers of a group of users associated with the message thread; generatingan anonymized context identifier (ID) for the message thread; providingthe context ID to a game bot associated with the game, the game botbeing a software agent configured to act automatically on behalf of thegame, wherein the context ID is used by the game bot to interact withthe group of users associated with the message thread; and sending, bythe game bot using the context ID, instructions for presenting a gamewindow within the message thread on one or more instances of messagingapplications running on one or more client systems associated with theone or more users of the group.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thegame window comprises: a live gameplay of the game; and one or moreinteractive action buttons operable to allow the one or more users ofthe group to perform one or more in-game actions.
 3. The method of claim1, wherein the game window comprises one or more of: a user progressindicator indicating current status of the one or more users of thegroup with respect to the game; a game status indicator indicatingcurrent status of the game; or an action indicator indicating (1) a userwho performed a last in-game action in the game session and (2) a userwho has to perform a next in-game action in the game session.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the game window comprises a customizedmessage sent by the game bot.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein thecustomized message comprises one or more of: an interactive gamescreenshot that when interacted shows a preview of a gameplay of the oneor more users associated with the game; a customizable text indicating aperformance of the one or more users in the game; or a customizableaction button that when interacted performs an action with respect tothe game.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, foreach of the group of users associated with the message thread, a hasheduser identifier (ID) for the user; and providing the hashed user ID tothe game bot associated with the game.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereina combination of the hashed user ID and the context ID is used by thegame bot to send one or more messages to the respective user of thegroup within the message thread.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein themessage thread is operable to allow the one or more users of the groupto view a live gameplay of the game and play the game from inside themessage thread.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the game bot runs inthe background of the game and analyzes in-game actions of the one ormore users, and wherein content presented within the game window by thegame bot is based on the in-game actions.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the in-game actions include performance or activity of the oneor more users inside the game.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thesoftware agent is generated based on software logic and instructionsadded by a game developer to an application programming interface (API)associated with the messaging application.
 12. The method of claim 1,wherein the game bot uses the context ID to send messages in the messagethread at pre-defined time intervals.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the game bot sends the messages up to a message threshold limitin the message thread.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the messagethreshold limit is adjustable based on a measure of game affinity of theone or more users of the group with respect to the game.
 15. The methodof claim 1, wherein the game is played from inside the message thread onthe messaging application via an application programming interface (API)of a game server.
 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining a threshold level of gaming activity by each user of thegroup; identifying the one or more users of the group as satisfying thethreshold level of gaming activity; and sending, to the one or moreclient systems associated with the one or more users, an interface ofthe messaging application comprising a games-tab element, wherein thegames-tab element is selectable by the one or more users to request agames tab comprising a list of games, and wherein the one or more usersaccess the game from the games tab.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereindetermining the threshold level of gaming activity by the user comprisesone or more of: determining whether the user has played one or moregames more than a threshold number of times within a predefined timeperiod; or determining whether the user has viewed gameplay of otherusers for the one or more games more than the threshold number of timeswithin the predefined time period.
 18. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising: sending, to the one or more client systems associated withthe one or more users, instructions for updating the games tab on themessaging application, wherein the games tab is updated to incorporatethe message thread with the game.
 19. One or more computer-readablenon-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable whenexecuted to: receive, in a group conversation in a message thread on amessaging application, a request to access a game from inside themessage thread from one or more users of a group of users associatedwith the message thread; generate an anonymized context identifier (ID)for the message thread; provide the context ID to a game bot associatedwith the game, the game bot being a software agent configured to actautomatically on behalf of the game, wherein the context ID is used bythe game bot to interact with the group of users associated with themessage thread; and send, by the game bot using the context ID,instructions for presenting a game window within the message thread onone or more instances of messaging applications running on one or moreclient systems associated with the one or more users of the group.
 20. Asystem comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory memorycoupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by theprocessors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:receive, in a group conversation in a message thread on a messagingapplication, a request to access a game from inside the message threadfrom one or more users of a group of users associated with the messagethread; generate an anonymized context identifier (ID) for the messagethread; provide the context ID to a game bot associated with the game,the game bot being a software agent configured to act automatically onbehalf of the game, wherein the context ID is used by the game bot tointeract with the group of users associated with the message thread; andsend, by the game bot using the context ID, instructions for presentinga game window within the message thread on one or more instances ofmessaging applications running on one or more client systems associatedwith the one or more users of the group.